Dean's Message: Sept. 11, 2021
Fall semester is in full swing! I had the opportunity to speak with many of our students last week during “Donuts with the Dean.” They seemed truly grateful to return to their studies and be with their peers. As a campus and college, we can be proud of how well the community has responded to indoor masking and vaccination requirements. Because of these and other measures, we have been able to proceed with our academic mission and provide students with a robust college experience this fall.
Our scientists continue to monitor the course of the pandemic. I encourage you to watch the information-rich presentation from Roy Parker and Kristen Bjorkman of the BioFrontiers Institute, who provide a scientific update on the status of the delta variant.
Vaccinations have proven to be the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect our community. The COVID-19-Ready Dashboard, updated daily, reports the rates of vaccinations and testing. The deadline to upload proof of vaccination is Sept. 15. There is help for those who still need to report and there will be accountability for those who do not meet the deadline, including a hold on spring registration for students. More details on this and related actions are included in the latest campus update.
As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 landscape together, please refer to the campus COVID-19 website for the latest information. If you know of students in need of financial support, the Student Emergency Fund is available again this fall to support students who may be experiencing hardship because of the pandemic.
Thank you for contributing to a safe and healthy experience for our entire community.
Keith Molenaar
Acting Dean
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