Students,
Welcome back. I hope you all had a healthy and relaxing holiday break. I know most of you have been busy this week with the resumption of classes and start of the Spring term, but I thought it would be timely to reiterate some of our goals as a University community.
As President Clements referenced in his welcome message Tuesday, the University experienced a number of successes over the course of the Fall semester. Because you embraced a culture of commitment as it related to the various health and safety protocols we implemented, Clemson has been recognized among peer institutions for its efforts mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
Our expectations remain high as we turn the page to a new semester. We gained confidence from the lessons learned during an incredibly difficult fall and know we will face similar challenges again this spring. Now more than ever, it is important to guard against complacency in terms of practicing healthy behaviors.
We fully intend to offer more in-person experiences outside of the classroom as the semester evolves. While we are steadfastly committed to this goal, University leadership and public health officials must first deem it safe and responsible to do so. Clearly, the virus and its continued prevalence on the national and local landscape steers these types of decisions. Our hope is that COVID-19 will abate in 2021 you are able to engage in some of the traditional experiences you are accustomed to.
ONLINE COVID PREVENTION TRAINING
Those of you who are newly enrolled in 2021 are required to complete Return to Campus COVID Prevention Training. Please note this is a requirement for all enrolled students, even if you are taking all of your courses online. Unfortunately, we concluded the Fall term with a number of students who have not completed the course. Please complete the course — which takes about 30 minutes — when you receive the link through your Clemson email from Tiger Training. If you do not complete the course, you will be referred to the Office of Community and Ethical Standards (OCES) for potential disciplinary action.
TESTING, TESTING
By now, you have become accustomed to our aggressive approach to COVID-19 testing. We firmly believe the strategy employed during the fall was the correct one, as it steadily drove down prevalence rates as the semester progressed. The University conducted 14,000 tests over the past week, with a prevalence rate of less than two percent. We have even more confidence in our approach now that mandatory weekly testing is in place not only for students, but also employees working on campus.
Significantly aiding our testing strategy is enhanced attention given to those of you observing isolation or quarantine. We have made important adjustments to the process, which we believe provides you with the very best support during an understandably frustrating experience.
SC SAFER TOGETHER
I invite you to download SC SAFER TOGETHER, an app developed by Google and Apple to quickly notify individuals when an exposure may have occurred. By taking advantage of this new technology, you can take responsibility for your personal health while helping keep the community safe.
Completely anonymous, SC SAFER TOGETHER does not require personal information for use. When mobile devices with the app installed are near each other, private, encoded Bluetooth signals are used to determine how long and how close the users were together. The Bluetooth signal distance and duration are then used to determine an individual's potential exposure level to another app user who has anonymously notified the SC SAFER TOGETHER app they tested positive for COVID-19. If notified of a potential exposure, the app will provide steps to schedule a telehealth appointment, take a self-assessment or schedule a test.
Download SC SAFER TOGETHER from Google Play or the App Store. Once you review the introductory screens, SC SAFER TOGETHER will ask for permission to run in the background, just like other apps do on your phone now. For more information, click here.
SC SAFER TOGETHER was launched in partnership with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Clemson and the Medical University of South Carolina. In addition to better understanding potential exposure, you will be helping a team of Clemson researchers understand the app’s adoption rate and its impact on COVID-19 numbers on campus. Anonymous data will be used to understand how many downloads there are, its effects on the health care system and differences in exposure notification from traditional contact-tracing methods.
MASK ORDINANCES CONTINUE TO BE IN EFFECT
Neighboring municipalities — including the City of Clemson — continue to enforce ordinances which require the wearing of face coverings in public places. These local governments have also been reminded OCES is an available resource should student behavior become an issue within their jurisdictions.
We saw an incredibly small number of conduct issues with regard to our health and safety guidelines in the fall and anticipate much of the same this spring from our student body. You are to be commended for exhibiting impeccable behavior and upholding the core values representative of our institution.
EVENTS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS
As I reflect on the character of this institution and its students, it is my hope the rest of the country would see you all as examples of civility, a beacon of hope and confidence in our future. We pride ourselves on our core values — honesty, integrity and respect — and I join you as we celebrate those values in all of our associations and interactions.
To our students, please know that the University offers a wide range of resources to assist anyone who needs help dealing with recent national events, or any other, issues that are causing distress. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) if you need to speak to someone.
Take care of yourselves — and one another. On behalf of our team in Student Affairs, I wish you the very best in the new year and during this academic term!
Sincerely,
