Dear Campus Community,
Only 22 days until commencement, and it looks like the purple streak will continue into a fourth week. Well done, Dins! We will be operating in the PURPLE: Basic Precautions phase on campus next week, while also adhering to the YELLOW phase operations off campus. The Greenville community numbers still remain higher than they need to be for a change in university-sponsored, off-campus engagement in the community (e.g., volunteering). In addition, we are still not opening the campus to increased visitation at this time. This will most likely be the approach for the remainder of the spring semester to ensure a successful finish and to ensure that our seniors and recent graduates may participate in person in Commencement.
CLP busts COVID-19 vaccine myths
For anyone with questions about the development, efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines, a CLP event earlier this week was recorded featuring four Furman faculty members as well as two distinguished guests from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (Dr. Jane Kelly and Dr. Rick Foster), including experts in the fields of immunology, biochemistry, epidemiology, medicine and bioethics.
Vaccination update
We are excited to report that 10 percent of the student body has submitted their completed vaccination cards to the ESHC.Forty percent report having received the first dose, and another 11 percent of the student body, along with a number of faculty and staff, are getting vaccinated on campus tomorrow by Bon Secours Health System.
Students, faculty and staff may also use https://vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov as a resource for scheduling an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Remember, students and employees who are fully vaccinated will no longer be included in our surveillance testing programand will not have to quarantine due to an exposure.
Students, faculty and staff who have received the complete dose of the COVID vaccination are encouraged to voluntarily share their vaccination record.
- Students, email a copy of your documented vaccination after completion of the required dose(s) to furmanstudenthealth@prismahealth.org.
- Employees, email a copy of your documented vaccination after completion of the required dose(s) to humanresources@furman.edu.
For employees, this information will not be shared or stored as part of personnel records, and no personnel actions will be taken based on whether employees have received the vaccine. Please submit only your vaccination record and do not include any medical information along with it.
Tip of the Week: Relieve that academic stress!
April on Furman’s campus is often associated with academic stress. Upperclassmen on the COVID Student Advisory Group want to offer the following tips to their peers:
- Take a break from your studies and do something fun. See this week’s edition of DINformation for upcoming events and activities.
- Study outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather and campus.
- Eat well and get plenty of sleep. Take a nap even.
- Play intramurals and club sports. Take a walk around the lake. Go for a run. Hit up the PAC.
- Reach out to your instructors and/or academic advisor for help.
- Connect with the Center for Academic Success (CAS), Writing & Media Lab, Peer Assisted Learning (PAL), or Student Office for Accessibility Resources (SOAR).
Counseling Center walk-in hours
In addition to scheduled appointments, Furman’s Counseling Center will host their end-of-semester walk-in clinic from April 19-April 29. Same day, 30-minute, single sessions (online or in person) are geared toward students who are looking for a quick check in with a counselor. Students may also utilize the 24/7 crisis/mental health support line at (864) 294-3031, option #3 from anywhere at any time. Online self-help tools are always available as well.
Campus activities
The Joseph Vaughn statue unveiling will be held today at 1 p.m., in front of the Duke Library on the new Joseph Vaughn Plaza. A program is planned that will include speakers from Furman’s community and Vaughn’s family. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to gather, with masks on and physically distanced, for the celebration. See this site for more information.
We want to thank the many student leaders, faculty and staff who have organized activities and events during the PURPLE phase. So far, there have been over 200 in-person meetings and events registered and approved for students since the end of March, with half being campus-wide events.
Support the Women’s Soccer team today as they battle Samford for the SoCon championship at 3 p.m. The game is available on ESPN+.
Housing move out
Furman’s spring closing process will support a safe and healthy campus while embracing the Furman spirit. Students should limit the number of individuals who assist them with the move-out process to no more than two individuals, preferably family members. Students and their family members will be expected to wear masks and follow physical distancing guidelines during the move-out process. Family members are not permitted to stay overnight in campus housing. Housing and Residence Life will send information to students about move-out dates and other instructions soon.
COVID dashboard
We completed surveillance testing for 251 on-campus students this week, resulting in 0 asymptomatic positives. There were only 4 positive cases reported by the Earle Student Health Center. Thank you to our entire community for your diligence and commitment to one another. The Furman Focused Dashboard and Campus Operational Phases were updated yesterday.
Surveillance testing
We will continue with our COVID surveillance testing next week, testing 15% of the student testing pool, on Wednesday only. Selected students will receive instructions on Monday. Students who are fully vaccinated and registered with the Earle Student Health Center will no longer be included in surveillance testing.
Students, remember that you can reach out to your peers on the student advisory group to ask questions and send them suggestions to share with the steering committee.
Please continue to follow the Paladin Promise, complete your daily LiveSafe health survey, and check the Furman Focused website and your email for regular updates.
Have a fun, safe weekend!
Sincerely,
Ken Peterson, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Connie Carson, Vice President for Student Life
Co-Chairs, COVID Response Steering Committee