Dear Faculty and Staff,
Since the beginning of the pandemic, in March of 2020, the University has always placed the health, safety, and well being of our entire campus community at the center of our considerations and decision process, and we continue to do so now, 18 months into this pandemic. We’re pleased to share that in response to our requirement that all faculty and staff be vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to the start of the fall semester, approximately 95% have submitted verification, and we will continue to update this percentage as more people in our community complete the form and submit it to HR. This is phenomenal and far greater than the vaccination rate of the county, state, and country. We want to thank each of you for your efforts to reach this vaccination rate. While we intended to be mask free when students returned to campus this fall, the Delta variant has increased transmission of COVID-19 in recent weeks. Under CDC guidelines, indoor face masks should be required in a county when that county’s infection rate is in the red or orange category. Per the CDC COVID Data Tracker, Porter County is in the orange with most other counties in Indiana in the red. While the state tracking system currently has Porter County in the yellow tier, the transmission rate has increased dramatically with the most recent reporting.
Therefore, in line with CDC guidelines, from Aug. 17 through Sept. 6, the University is requiring face masks for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, while in indoor settings on campus. Wearing masks outdoors is up to the judgment of vaccinated persons, unless the outdoor activity is congested and heavily attended such as larger campus events. As has been our operation over the past several months, unvaccinated individuals with exemptions are required to wear masks at all times while on campus.
This period of time will allow our campus “bubble” to develop and assist in protecting the health and wellness of the campus community. The University will communicate by Sept. 6 if the face covering requirement will be extended based on COVID-19 cases in the county and CDC recommendations at that time. After this precautionary period, we are hopeful to return to face covering usage as optional for individuals who are fully vaccinated. Individuals who are unvaccinated due to an exemption, or who are midway through the vaccination process, will be required to wear a face covering in all campus buildings, public areas, and at outdoor events at all times.
These updated rules will be communicated to students beginning today. Residential Life will reserve quarantine and isolation rooms for residential students who test positive or are identified through contact tracing. Non-residential students will need to develop an off-campus quarantine/isolation plan in case they are required to enter into a quarantine or isolation status due to a positive test or contact tracing. Vaccinated students that are contact traced will be allowed to attend class and required to wear a mask, unless otherwise put under the care of the Student Health Center, and until formally released by the Student Health Center.
Other than the mask requirement for the first few weeks of classes, all University events and activities will resume normal planning and operations. Classrooms and laboratories will be configured for pre-COVID occupancy. At this time, there are no limits to group size nor any other restrictions for fully vaccinated students. Unvaccinated individuals due to an exemption may participate in University events and activities, but will be required to wear masks at all times.
Additional COVID-19 information, details, and updates can be found at valpo.edu/covid-info. This website will also host our COVID-19 dashboard and FAQs. Please note that some of these items may be updated as circumstances dictate.
Be safe and healthy and again, thank you for all of your efforts to achieve a campus with a vaccination rate that far exceeds that of the general population.
Eric W. Johnson '87, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Darron C. Farha, J.D.
Vice President and General Counsel
