Dear Campus Community,
While the Omicron spike in Greenville County continues to be high, the disease incidence is finally decreasing. Because of your diligence in achieving extremely high vaccination and booster rates on campus, and because the disease incidence on campus among students has decreased, we are relaxing some of the masking restrictions effective today (carefully read below for specific details).
As the semester progresses, if Greenville community rates decline and we are able to maintain low COVID rates on campus, we will consider relaxing additional COVID-19 safety measures. In the meantime, we ask students, faculty and staff to please stay the course.
Masking policy effective today
Masking is REQUIRED (regardless of vaccination/booster status):
- in all academic buildings and academic settings, including the libraries and including faculty and staff offices in academic buildings, unless the faculty or staff member is alone in their own office (whether their door is open or closed);
- for CLPs, regardless of campus location, and regardless of attendance size;
- when traveling in vehicles together on or off campus for university-sponsored purposes;
- at university-sponsored, indoor events with more than 50 individuals in attendance;
- in the PAC fitness center and basketball court at all times;
- of all admissions tour participants when indoors in any building; and
- of unvaccinated vendors and contractors when indoors in any building.
Masking is NOT REQUIRED:
- in non-academic buildings (e.g., Trone, Younts, Dining Hall);
- in campus housing; and
- outdoors.
In locations where masks are not required, staff may require that students and colleagues wear a mask when entering their office, and we must continue to respect and comply with such requests. We have updated the Masking Guidelines website, which includes guidance for staff when meeting with others in their offices and for required meetings for staff (e.g., departmental staff meeting).
COVID-19 dashboard
There were 5 positive student cases reported this past week by the Earle Student Health Center (ESHC), and 8 positive employee cases reported by Human Resources.
Thanks to your efforts, 85% of the student body is on record as vaccinated and boosted (if eligible), and we continue to receive updated booster records daily. We are grateful for your continued diligence in keeping our community healthy and safe.
The Furman Focused Dashboard was updated yesterday and will be updated each Thursday.
We will continue to closely monitor the number of positive cases on our campus and in our local community to determine the appropriateness of additional adjustments or contingencies. If you have any questions, please email furman.focused@furman.edu.
Have a fun, safe weekend!
Sincerely,
The COVID Response Committee