Prior to the fall semester, we took the unfortunate (but necessary) step to require masks in some areas and circumstances. In doing so, we made a commitment to repeal that requirement as soon as reasonably prudent. 

Today is that day. 

Effective immediately, masks are encouraged, but not required, at 91福利社. We are requiring masks on Trojan Transit. Otherwise, it is up to you whether to wear a mask or face covering in other locations. We also encourage you to maintain a physical distance of 3 feet or more when possible and, if you feel sick, quarantine yourself and follow the published protocols.

We have been constantly evaluating the circumstances and number of cases. Fortunately, the last several weeks have shown a significant decline in cases in the community and on campus.

Please keep the following in mind: 

• Circumstances can change. This has been a consistent theme throughout nearly every communication we鈥檝e delivered, and it has been accurate just as consistently. We originally lifted mask requirements last May, with the caveat that circumstances could require us to change course. They did, and we did. We hope to relegate masks to the dustbin of history, but time will tell. Remain vigilant. And please extend grace if the public health situation takes a turn for the worse. 
• Just because you aren鈥檛 required to wear a mask doesn鈥檛 mean you shouldn鈥檛. If you are indoors among a large group of people, for example, you should probably wear a mask. While off-campus, respect any local ordinances and the policies of any business that may differ from ours. 
• There may also be a few limited exceptions where you may be required to wear a mask. In those situations you will be notified in advance.
• Don鈥檛 throw your masks away just yet. Again, things can change, and you may find yourself in a circumstance or location where it will come in handy. 
• If you have any symptoms of any illness, do not come to campus. This is probably the most important Journey Ahead protocol right now. The consistent downward trend in active cases is the primary reason we鈥檙e scaling back mask requirements. It stands to reason that a reversal of fortune鈥攖hat is, a rise in COVID-19 infections鈥攃ould have the opposite effect. Again, if you are not well,stay home and call Thrive Wellness Center at 864-622-6078 (or, for student-athletes, Sports Medicine 864-231-2144.) 

Once again, thank you for your commitment to the health and safety of our campus community. The last year and a half have been challenging for all of us. Yet, we are joyful for the protection God has provided鈥攁nd for the light at the end of the tunnel getting brighter each day.

The post Journey Ahead Update: Things Are Going to Look Different After Fall Break appeared first on 91福利社.

As the third week of the fall semester comes to a close, our campus is experiencing a significant increase in active COVID-19 transmission. Because we want to help you to make informed choices about how you can protect yourselves and those around you, we felt it is important to examine the data closely, and in context.  

The following is available also on the COVID-19 Dashboard.

Today鈥檚 Dashboard update reports

• 49 students on campus tested positive for COVID-19 from Friday, August 20, through Thursday, August 26;
   
• four (4) faculty and/or staff members tested positive for COVID-19 during the same timeframe; and
   
• combined with individuals from last week who have not yet recovered, today鈥檚 count stands at 55 total cases of COVID-19 on the 91福利社 campus. 

How you react to those statistics depends on your perspective. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 important to examine the Dashboard numbers in context.

• The 55 active, on-campus cases of COVID-19 equals the highest number of cases at one time we鈥檝e experienced thus far. (Yes, that includes at any point through all of 2020 and the spring of 2021.) It matches our previous high of 55 total cases reported on Sept. 18, 2020, when infections spiked following Labor Day.
   
• The third week of the fall semester is in the books, and total on-campus cases of COVID-19 thus far stands at 98. It took 14 weeks to reach the same number of cases during the spring 2021 semester, when there were only 99 cases in total.
   
• This week, among students, unvaccinated individuals made up 41 of the 53 new cases of COVID-19. It鈥檚 true that those who鈥檝e been vaccinated can become infected with the coronavirus, but a majority of cases are among those who鈥檝e chosen not to be vaccinated (and the same is true for hospitalizations and deaths.) For example, in South Carolina, 88% of cases, 77% of hospitalizations, and 79% of deaths were among unvaccinated individuals (.)

That being said, what we鈥檙e experiencing right now in no way constitutes a crisis. To be clear, we鈥檙e not minimizing our shared concern. But let鈥檚 keep a few things in mind: 

• Approximately 8.5% of people on campus have contracted COVID-19 (of which we鈥檙e aware.) That鈥檚 lower than the roughly 12 percent of South Carolinians who鈥檝e contracted the virus, and significantly lower than the percentage at most colleges or universities in our region (based on publicly available data.)

• The increase in cases from week one until now isn鈥檛 a huge surprise鈥攁fter all, our first Dashboard update came before the majority of students returned to campus. New student move-in was Wednesday, August 11, meaning there was barely 24 hours-worth of data compiled鈥攆rom just a fraction of our campus population鈥攂efore we published our first update of the year. (As a reminder, cases are tallied at 5 p.m. each Thursday so that the Dashboard can be updated by 9 a.m. the next day.)

In other words, there is a level of subjectivity when interpreting Dashboard data. Facts are facts, of course, but context matters. 

Here鈥檚 what鈥檚 not subjective: COVID-19 still poses a threat to our health and safety, and the Delta variant has introduced a level of uncertainty that we haven鈥檛 experienced since the beginning of the pandemic. That鈥檚 why, no matter how you look at the recent spike in cases at AU and around the country, it鈥檚 important to follow protocols. Wear a mask when required. Stay at least three feet away from others. Practice good hand hygiene. Stay home when you are sick. 

If we do that, perhaps we can look back on August 27, 2021, as the moment when the fourth wave of COVID-19 crested at 91福利社鈥攁nd signaled the beginning of the end of the pandemic. 

Time鈥攁nd how we care for ourselves and each other鈥攚ill tell.

Starting today, we鈥檙e publishing the number of on-campus infections among those who have not received one of the available vaccines, as well as the total on-campus cases to date. We hope the weekly Dashboard report will prove useful as you make a personal, informed choice regarding vaccination.

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Few members of our AU staff family have as much face-to-face interaction with students as our Trojan Transit team. It鈥檚 one of the reasons we included Trojan Transit on our list of spaces where masks are required. 

To date, students have been gracious by masking up while aboard (on behalf of our drivers, we offer our gratitude.) However, many are forgetting to bring a mask with them and relying on the supply of disposable masks our drivers have on hand. 

That鈥檚 why we are offering this friendly reminder: Please keep a reusable mask or face covering with you at all times. Of course, we all forget things from time to time. But please consider AU-provided disposable masks as an exception, not the rule. 

Thank you again for your willingness to join us in protecting ourselves and others, and for demonstrating grace and understanding during this uncertain season.

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When our revised Journey Ahead protocols were announced on Monday, August 9, it became clear that some understandably have misunderstood or misinterpreted the mask requirement. The decision to implement a limited mask policy was made after a considerable amount of thought and prayer, based on relevant data, and undertaken in a genuine effort to minimize its impact on the campus environment. The ultimate goal remains: keeping our campus community healthy and safe. There is nothing arbitrary about our policy, nor is it politically or socially motivated. 

Where Masks Are Optional 
Please note this is not necessarily a complete list. Rather, it is a list of common-use areas where masks are optional. A visual overview of the policy is available here. We鈥檝e also published a video showing examples of where masks are required and where they are not. It鈥檚 available .

• Welcome Week events
• Residence Halls
• In hallways traveling to and from class
• Thrift Library
• Student Center (including Culinary Center; the Chik-Fil-A and Chronicles Cafe lines; AU Outfitters, etc.)
• Eno Village
• Alumni Lawn
• Sidewalks
• Benches
• Parking lots
• White Swings
• Books and Beans
• Post Office
• AU Outfitters

Where Masks Are Required 

Our mask requirement applies only to the areas listed below. For any other environment, masks are optional (see above.)

1. Classes, labs and other scheduled and mandatory academic instruction settings 
2. Trojan Transit
3. Indoor events and/or activities of 75 people or more if attendance at that event or activity is mandatory 

Let鈥檚 more clearly examine that third point. Rather than attempting to explain the variables, let鈥檚 apply them by using two examples. 

Example #1: Campus Worship. Campus Worship is an indoor event and/or activity. There are 75 people or more who attend each service. As you know, students must attend a certain number each semester to satisfy the Journey Credit program requirement for graduation; attendance is mandatory. In short, each of the variables apply to Campus Worship. Therefore, masks are required during Campus Worship, specifically so that protections exist for those who may be concerned for their own health but cannot choose to leave the environment in which they have a personal concern. 

Example #2: Playing ping pong in the Student Center. Playing ping pong in the Student Center is an indoor event and/or activity. However, 75 or more people cannot play ping pong at the same time. And you do not have to play ping pong, which is an entirely optional activity. One can decide for oneself whether such an environment is safe for them. In other words, if an individual is concerned about their personal safety during an optional activity or environment, they can choose to go elsewhere. To return to our example, given the dynamics explained above, masks are not required while playing ping pong in the Student Center. 

If you are a visual person, the flowchart available here might be helpful. While not exhaustive, it will guide you in deciding whether or not you are required to wear a mask:

As you can see, the scope of our policy is very limited. It requires masks in only a few circumstances. For most daily activities, masks remain optional. 

How the Policy was Established

To establish our limited mask policy, we considered three key factors that may or may not exist in an indoor space, presented here as a series of questions:

• Is attendance required? In other words, do you have to be in a given space at a given time? Or is attendance optional? Do I have free choice to make a decision about attending? Can I decide, based on my own personal concerns and needs, whether this is an environment in which I am comfortable?
• If attendance is required, while in the space can you consistently keep three feet away from others? 
• If attendance is required, and three feet of physical distance is not possible or guaranteed, will you have to be in the space for longer than 15 minutes? 

In answering those questions, we identified the three environments in which masks are required. Again, those include scheduled learning environments (classes, labs, etc.), as well as planned, organized, and mandatory events and activities. (While Trojan Transit is an optional mode of transportation, given its widespread use and the fact that vans are small, enclosed spaces, requiring masks is a prudent measure.)

Why Change the Policy Now? 

The timing of this change is unfortunate, but the decision to do so was not arbitrary nor was it undertaken lightly. Significant factors were at play, and included only the following: 

• our desire to enable our campus community to operate as normal as possible and in the least inconvenient manner available to us;
• COVID cases in the United States have increased tenfold since late June;
• South Carolina COVID hospitalizations are rising at a rate of 175%, ranking our state second nationally;
• significant increases in cases, hospitalizations, and patients assigned to ICU because of COVID within the Anderson area, including a significant jump from just two weeks ago, (also, the percentage of younger people, 50 and under, has almost doubled);
• the transmissibility of the Delta variant, which is 40% more infectious than earlier variants; and
• the number of students without either vaccine-induced immunity or natural immunity (from a past COVID-19 confirmed case) being less than 80%, which is itself below the minimum threshold for herd immunity related to the Delta variant (80-89% is the target.)

Thank you for taking the time to read this message, and for your willingness to cooperate with 91福利社 during the Journey Ahead.

The post Journey Ahead Update: Where to Wear a Mask, and Where They Are Optional appeared first on 91福利社.

Given a host of factors, including guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), increased transmission of COVID-19 in Anderson County and the surrounding region, and the very real threat the Delta variant poses to public health, 91福利社 is temporarily requiring masks and/or face coverings during scheduled class and/or lab sessions, while on Trojan Transit, and when attending large, organized events held indoors (consisting of 75 people or more.) 

Let鈥檚 keep our most important goals in mind. Our first priority is that everyone on campus is as healthy and safe as possible. And, of course, we want to remain fully operational, with on-campus instruction throughout the academic year. 

We鈥檝e said repeatedly since the pandemic began that 91福利社鈥檚 policies and protocols are subject to change. And they have. We鈥檝e made unfortunate changes (such as having to switch to remote operations back in the spring of 2020) and we鈥檝e made changes that were celebrated (such as moving to a mask-optional environment over the summer.) The reality is that this virus is unpredictable; indeed, predictability is at an all-time low in large part because of the Delta variant. That鈥檚 why flexibility is so important. And it鈥檚 why it is prudent to make this change. 

Proverbs 27:12 says, 鈥淭he prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.鈥� While it won鈥檛 be unanimously celebrated, we believe this temporary change to our Journey Ahead protocols is the prudent thing to do. 

Please keep in mind:

• Things have changed a lot since we announced masks and/or face coverings would be optional. Again, they include updates to CDC guidelines, case increases in Anderson County and the surrounding region, and the dangers posed by the Delta variant. Those, along with the results of our recent campus survey, informed this updated policy. 
   
• We expect the mask and/or face covering requirement to be temporary. Again, we can鈥檛 predict what will happen. But given the record number of students enrolled this year, many of whom are coming to campus from around the country, taking this precautionary measure as the semester begins is just the wise thing to do.
   
• Despite the mask and/or face covering requirement, our current Journey Aheadprotocols are significantly less stringent than they were during the 2020-2021 academic year. We are doing our best to balance the need for reasonable restrictions with the desire for normalcy. 

We recognize this change will not be universally celebrated. Regardless of your position, we hope you will embrace the challenge it represents. After all, this is an opportunity for us to demonstrate to the community around us that we take seriously what Christ calls us to be. We are a peculiar people, set apart and called to love others more than we love ourselves. That is a high calling, and impossible without the Holy Spirit鈥檚 continued work in our hearts and minds. Our challenge, then, is that we embrace that calling. That we embrace what makes us special. That we embrace self-sacrifice. That we embrace loving God with all our being and our neighbors as ourselves, 鈥渁nd so fulfill the Law of Christ.鈥�

We love each and every one of you. We can鈥檛 wait to see you. We can鈥檛 wait to celebrate the day when we鈥檝e finished the Journey Ahead.  

And, by being stronger together, we will.

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With the start of the Fall 2021 semester just around the corner, we are about to begin the next step in the Journey Ahead. 

The 91福利社 COVID-19 Task Force has been working feverishly to get protocols finalized before the semester begins. We learned a lot from recent surveys of our faculty, staff, and students, and we are so appreciative of those of you who took the time to give us your insights. We鈥檝e also learned from the unprecedented experience of trying to manage a global pandemic over the last 18 months or so. Now we鈥檙e ready to share details of what this fall will look like on campus, practically speaking. 

Let鈥檚 get something out of the way first. These protocols won鈥檛 make everyone happy. What one person finds prudent another will find foolish. But that鈥檚 the nature of compromise. More importantly, these policies reflect our best attempt to create an environment on campus where we live out Christ鈥檚 call to love one another as he loves us. That posture, of always keeping in mind what the Lord requires of us, is what sets 91福利社 apart. It鈥檚 what we need to embrace throughout the 2021-2022 academic year. We鈥檝e done it before. We can do it again. 

The factors that informed our Journey Ahead protocols at the beginning of the fall semester included: the information we received as a result of our summer survey of faculty, staff, and students; the proliferation of different strains of the virus; the active cases of COVID-19 in Anderson County and its surrounding communities; and we considered the recommendations of health authorities and experts, including the CDC and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC.) Each of the aforementioned dynamics were among those used in developing our Journey Ahead protocols as the new academic year at AU gets underway. 

• The mask and/or face covering protocols are as follows:
  • Masks and/or face coverings are required in the following circumstances:
    • during scheduled class and/or lab sessions; 
    • while on Trojan Transit; and
    • when attending large, organized indoor events consisting of 75 people or more and in which attendance is mandatory.
  • Masks and/or face coverings are optional while outdoors. 
  • Students should bring several masks and/or face covering with them to campus, and keep them on hand at all times.  
  • The mask and/or face covering requirement is expected to be temporary.  
     
• To the extent possible, you should keep at least three feet of physical distance between yourself and others. 
   
• As previously shared in earlier communications, COVID-19 vaccinations will not be required for students to return to campus. However, we continue to strongly encourage vaccination for all students, faculty, and staff. 
   
• While a negative COVID-19 test is not required as a condition of your arrival, students will be required to take a personal self-health assessment 48 hours prior to their return to campus. 
  • Residential students will receive details of the move-in process from 91福利社 Residence Life. 
  • Like all members of the campus community, commuter students should self-screen for any symptom of illness before coming to campus. 
  • Students displaying any symptoms of illness should not come to campus and contact Thrive Wellness Center. Student-athletes should contact sports medicine. 
     
• The following campus activities and locations will return to normal operations and capacity, including:
  • Classrooms
  • Dining areas
  • Residence halls
  • Thrift Library
  • Intramural sports
  • Student Center 
     
• Large, indoor gatherings (75 or more) may have some capacity limitations, though we are increasing the capacity limits you experienced last year. For example, Campus Worship and South Carolina School of the Arts performances and rehearsals may require capacity limitations. 
   
• Athletic events, such as games and practices, will continue to follow NCAA and SAC guidance. For that reason, athletic protocols may not necessarily be the same as those in other areas of campus. 
   
• COVID-19 testing will be available to students through Thrive Wellness Center in coordination with multiple local labs. Whether you think it鈥檚 COVID or not, if you aren鈥檛 well it鈥檚 critically important that you contact Thrive Wellness Center. Student-athletes should contact the Sports Medicine team.
   
• Consistent with AU鈥檚 seasonal flu and other communicable diseases policy, a student required to quarantine or isolate will need to work with Thrive Wellness Center to be excused from classes. Following the excused absence policy is your responsibility. 
   
• Also consistent with AU鈥檚 seasonal flu and other communicable diseases policy, a student whose family home is within three hours of campus will be directed to quarantine or isolate at their family鈥檚 residence.
   
• For students residing farther than three hours from campus, facilities for quarantine and isolation services will be provided, but unvaccinated students may be responsible for associated costs.
   
• Vaccinated students should bring their proof of vaccination documentation with them in the event it is needed at a later date. To be clear, 91福利社 is not requiring documentation of vaccination status, but having your card on hand is a good idea, practically speaking. It may be needed if you get sick during the academic year and need to seek medical treatment for any reason.

As was shared and demonstrated throughout the past 18 months, as conditions change, so will our protocols. Our goal is to ease restrictions in a prudent and safe manner. We expect, anticipate, and pray that the protocols shared above will change and that positive developments will allow for greater degrees of normalcy. 

But a lot of that depends on how well we all follow protocols. Keep your guard up and things can return to normal a lot more quickly than they will if we ignore protocols. 

Move in begins with student-athletes on August 9 and ends for all students on August 14. Look for more information in your 91福利社 email.

• If you are a student with questions, contact Dean of Students Jon Gropp at jgropp@andersonuniversity.edu. 
• If you are faculty or staff and have questions, contact Amy Porpilia at aporpilia@andersonuniversity.eduin Human Resources. 

Please remember that AU reserves the right to amend our policies and procedures based on future changes in conditions and guidance from local, state, and federal health authorities.

Join us in praying that God continues protecting our AU community and provide his matchless wisdom for the Journey Ahead.

With the start of the Fall 2021 semester just around the corner, we are about to begin the next step in the Journey Ahead. 

The post Journey Ahead Update: Protocols Announced for the Start of 2021-2022 Semester appeared first on 91福利社.

During the past year, people around the world made personal sacrifices to protect the health and wellbeing of their communities.

Those of us who are part of the 91福利社 family were no exception. After all, ours is a community marked by great hospitality. More than that, we embrace the spiritual challenge to love others as Christ loves us. That played out in remarkable ways during the 2020-2021 academic year, with each of us sacrificing our own temporary comfort so that our friends and loved ones remained as healthy as possible. In short, despite COVID-19, we maintained a safe, active, and welcoming campus for our students, staff, and faculty.  

For those who may just be starting their academic pursuits at 91福利社鈥攁nd as a reminder to all AU students鈥攔eview the bulleted list below. It contains some of the steps we took as part of the Journey Ahead. It鈥檚 not a comprehensive list, but there鈥檚 a reason we鈥檙e highlighting these protocols specifically (more on that later).  

• To maintain social distancing, some in-person, seated classes used a hybrid model for delivering instruction. That means students alternated between attending class in-person and participating via Zoom.
• In the Culinary Center, we gradually expanded seating capacity as conditions improved. 
• Again, as the public health environment improved, we gradually increased capacity at on-campus events, allowing more students to live in community with one another.
• We relaxed our mask and/or face covering protocols in response to the availability of vaccines, and as rates of infection decreased on campus and in our community. 
• As for our Residence Hall environment, while at first we made the necessary move to limit guests and visitors, we changed that as conditions improved by returning to our normal guest/visitation policy. 

All of that being said, the 91福利社 Senior Leadership Team, its Board of Trust and the COVID-19 Task Force fervently desires a return to normal operations鈥攋ust as we鈥檙e sure you do.We are meeting regularly, monitoring public health trends and reviewing our policies. Our posture is to take what we learned from our shared experience last year, solicit input from key stakeholders (like you!) and make prudent decisions on our Journey Ahead protocols and policies for the 2021-2022 academic year. The ultimate goal, and our baseline assumption, is a responsible return to normal operations. 

Back to that bulleted list. What would you have done differently? What policies would you put in place for this academic year? We truly want to know. It鈥檚 why we鈥檙e asking you to fill out this brief survey, please. It鈥檚 that simple. It will require barely a minute of your time, it鈥檚 completely anonymous and you get to be king or queen for a day (or the chair of the Task Force, at least.)

So鈥ill you help us out? Thanks in advance. 

The Journey Ahead resumes in just a few short weeks! We can鈥檛 wait to travel with you once again. 

Just one more thing: As a reminder: we are not requiring 91福利社 students be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus. Whether or not to be vaccinated is your personal choice. Now, that being said, the University strongly encourages vaccination. Many members of our campus community have already done so. We hope all students, faculty, and staff members will do the same after consulting with their doctor or another medical provider. One final thought: COVID-19 Task Force members remain in contact with local, state, and federal public health authorities, just as we have from the beginning. As we consider their guidance, currently the University is observing the CDC’s recommendation that individuals who have been vaccinated do not need to wear a mask or face covering. However, wearing a mask or face covering still is recommended for those who have not been vaccinated.

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After consultation with the COVID-19 Task Force鈥檚 medical group, and in light of new CDC guidelines, today we鈥檙e announcing a major update to our Journey Ahead protocols: Wearing  masks and/or face coverings is no longer mandatory on the 91福利社 campus. 

Remember: Our approach over the past 15 months has been risk management–not risk avoidance. That posture allowed us to reopen in the fall with the largest student population in University history. It minimized disruptions (to an extent, anyway). It kept our coronavirus cases low and our campus community as healthy and safe as possible. And it allowed us to successfully complete the school year. 

The decision to move to a mask-optional environment is in line with our risk-management posture. It does not mean the risk of contracting COVID-19 is entirely eliminated. It simply means the risk of contracting COVID-19 is low enough that wearing masks should be a personal choice, not a University mandate. That hasn鈥檛 always been the case. It is now. 

But before everyone lights their masks on fire, let鈥檚 keep a few things in mind: 

• Things can change quickly.However unlikely, current trends could take a turn for the worse, requiring us to put protocols back in place. All of us have demonstrated incredible flexibility and resilience over the last several months. While we hope never to call on those qualities again, we鈥檙e confident we can adjust quickly if necessary. 
   
• Every adult is eligible to receive one of the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines, and you should take advantage of the opportunity.Vaccination is safe and effective against the coronavirus. It is free and readily available. Most importantly, it protects you and those with whom you live and work. 
   
• That being said, if you haven鈥檛 been vaccinated, you should strongly consider wearing a mask and/or face covering. People still are getting sick. If you are not vaccinated you could be among them. 
   
• While masks are optional, please respect on-campus guests who may take different approaches. Summer camps will soon be in full swing, with thousands of people visiting campus over the next several weeks. Some of the organizations bringing guests to campus may have their own protocols that require masks and/or face coverings, so please be prepared to mask up as a small demonstration of AU鈥檚 legendary hospitality. 

We hope this change is the first of a return to normal operations this fall. And we hope you are excited about this major step forward in the Journey Ahead. 

We can鈥檛 wait to see your smiling faces soon.

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Postponing last year鈥檚 spring commencement exercises was among the most difficult and disappointing decisions the 91福利社 COVID-19 Task Force had to make. 

This year, because of the dedication of our entire campus community in keeping each other healthy and safe, we鈥檒l be able to celebrate together, in person. Just the way it should be. 

Of course, we鈥檙e not back to normal. Not yet. 

This communication is meant to clearly explain what you can expect during our commencement ceremonies May 7 and 8. You鈥檒l find most of the particulars on the website. So let鈥檚 just stick to brass tacks. 

The bottom line? We鈥檙e working hard to make commencement available for as many students and guests as possible. 

• We are increasing capacity both on Alumni Lawn and at our indoor rain location to allow for more attendees. This means we are increasing the number of guests each graduate can invite. Our Friday night graduate ceremony has no guest limits, while you are allowed up to six (6) guests for the Saturday morning undergraduate ceremony. We made this decision after careful consultation with our public health experts and current trends in our area. We believe this change is both prudent and responsible while allowing for additional people to celebrate your achievements. 
   
• Commencement exercises for both graduate (May 7) and undergraduate (May 8) students are scheduled to take place outdoors on Alumni Lawn. That means masks or face covering protocols will be amended. In short, when you鈥檙e traveling to and from your seat, we鈥檙e asking you to wear a mask and keep your mouth and nose covered. While seated, masks are optional. That鈥檚 because鈥�
   
• We are providing appropriate distancing among seats. Guests will be seated together in family groups to preserve appropriate physical distancing from others. Likewise, graduates will have appropriate space between each other while seated on the lawn.
   
• In the event we move indoors because of rain, masks and face coverings are required鈥攂ut you鈥檒l be allowed to have guests present.Again, given the recommendation of our Task Force鈥檚 public health team and reviewing the current trends in our area, we鈥檙e confident in our ability to accommodate indoor guests safely. For Friday鈥檚 graduate ceremony, you may have as many guests as you like. For Saturday鈥檚 undergraduate ceremony, two (2) guests are allowed in the main auditorium, while an additional two guests can enjoy the ceremony in an overflow building with a livestream being offered there. 
   
• If you have any symptoms of any illness, please do not attend commencement. This is vitally important. Please don鈥檛 explain away your symptoms as allergies or a common cold. Sniffles? Coughs? Fever? Please stay home. 

Remember: Our posture throughout the pandemic has been one of risk management, not risk avoidance. This is a voluntary event鈥攜ou鈥檙e still an 91福利社 graduate whether you attend commencement or not. For those who choose to attend, please know we鈥檙e taking appropriate precautions to protect you and your family while maintaining our ability to celebrate with you on what will be one of the most significant moments of your life. 

Congratulations, AU family! We can鈥檛 wait to see you at commencement. 

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To require vaccination or not require vaccination? That is the question.

The answer? It鈥檚 complicated. 

After all, the 91福利社 COVID-19 Task Force strongly encourages that our faculty, staff and students receive a COVID-19 vaccination (in consultation with their health care provider). It remains the best way to control the spread of the virus. Vaccination keeps ourselves–and, by extension, our friends and family members–healthy and safe. 

But that鈥檚 not what we鈥檙e talking about today. Instead, let鈥檚 take a few minutes to explain why we do not intend to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory prior to the fall semester. 

Let鈥檚 be clear: This is a decision based on data, science and the singular focus on keeping our campus community healthy and safe.

Here鈥檚 how we came to our decision:

• The two readily available COVID-19 vaccines are currently available under United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  (EUA).Pharmaceutical manufacturers have to go through a lot of hoops to get medicines approved for public use. In the event of an emergency (like, say, a pandemic), the FDA can eliminate certain bureaucratic barriers, significantly speeding up the process. To be absolutely clear, the available COVID-19 vaccines available are demonstrably safe. But, given that they are only available under an emergency use authorization, we will not jump the gun, so to speak, by requiring the vaccine until there is more data. 
   
• Current trends suggest rates of infection in our region are moving in the right direction. Cases are trending lower, and the Centers for Disease Control and Protection鈥檚 show, at worst, stability in infection rate or, at best, a continued downward slope. If that holds, we can reasonably assume we鈥檒l be in an even better place by the start of the fall semester in August.
   
• We appear to be approaching  on campus–and the more people who are vaccinated, the greater the probability of herd immunity. We know this because we鈥檝e been crunching some numbers. Generally, we know how many people on campus have been diagnosed as COVID-19 positive over the past year, and we have a pretty good handle on the number of those who鈥檝e been vaccinated. That data analysis suggests we’re approaching the point where the risk of a major outbreak is low. 

These are some of the things we鈥檝e been considering at length over the past several weeks. Indeed, talk of vaccination has dominated our recent meetings, representing hours of debate. At this point, the University has chosen not to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for its students and employees.  

Can circumstances change? Of course. The environment may change. A new strain of the virus may change the calculations and our protective measures. We鈥檝e all had to pivot quickly over the last year, and it would be irresponsible to offer a blanket guarantee of what campus will look like this fall, and what policies might be necessary. However, right now, we do not expect to require COVID-19 vaccinations. 

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