The University’s Thanksgiving break is just around the corner (eight days, but who’s counting?), and I’m ready to make my favorite sweet potato casserole with mini marshmallows!

At this time of year, I like to reflect upon the things for which I am most grateful: all of you, no snow (yet), and AS OF TODAY THAT 90.02% OF SOUTHWESTERN STUDENTS ARE FULLY OR PARTIALLY VACCINATED! CONGRATULATIONS! I knew you could do it! We have one of the highest student vaccination rates in the great state of Texas.

As promised, a special gift is waiting for you at tomorrow’s Sweet Surprise to thank you for meeting this incredible goal. I’ll see you at the Academic Mall from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. enjoying a sweet treat (they still won’t tell me what it is), distributing your gift, and celebrating this milestone.

You did it! And now what?

For now, we will continue to require that everyone wear a mask when indoors. Why, you might ask?

Williamson County has moved to the orange zone. The CDC still recommends wearing a mask when indoors in this zone. Until our surrounding community has a lower rate of transmission, we need to continue to be cautious. We also want to keep your family safe. As you head home for the holiday, it’s perfectly O.K. to take your laundry but you really don’t want to transport the coronavirus.

Our Health and Safety Committee salutes all of you and thanks you. We promise to reevaluate the indoor masking policy for our residence halls once Williamson County moves to the yellow phase. We will assess what is happening both inside our community as well as Georgetown at-large and then we will proceed with determining revised health and safety protocols.

Testing

Testing will occur as normal this Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Robertson Center. Next week, testing will happen on Tuesday, November 23, (not Wednesday) from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Robertson Center. If you can’t test on campus, the Georgetown public library provides free testing. Be sure to get your results to covidtesting@southwestern.edu by 2:00 p.m. on Friday each week. Only PCR tests are accepted. Visit the Health Center to find other off-campus testing locations.

Even if you are vaccinated, you may want to consider testing before you go home for Thanksgiving break to ensure you aren’t bringing the virus home. Whether you test on campus or at an off-campus testing location, make sure you get a PCR test, not an antigen test. Antigen tests are less accurate than PCR tests and can give false positives or negatives. 

Morning Walk

I’m making sure to get in my steps as I prepare for a big Thanksgiving feast! Join me on my morning walk next Monday at 7:30 a.m. to get a head start on racking up your steps, too. Good news, any calories that we consume from our post-walk baked goods don’t count!

Happenings on Campus

There is so much happening on campus this week. She Kills Monsters is back on stage for a second weekend. I saw it last Friday and it was fantastic. Also, thank you for the 90’s playlist—it’s been a while since I heard a Hole song. Senior music recitals are happening almost daily. UPC is hosting Flashback Friday complete with candy, DIY stuffed animals, and a chance to win a Nintendo Switch. Plus, many of our fall athletic teams are wrapping up their seasons, and our winter sports are just getting started.

If you ever are looking for something to do, check out the full event calendar. Honestly, I can’t keep up with all the great events!

Shout Outs!

What an awesome final football game! Every play was exciting and our team played their hearts out for the win. Did I actually see a Pirate fan who had painted his entire head yellow? 

Also, big congratulations to our women’s volleyball team for making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Finally, I was blown away from the fall performance of the Southwestern University Orchestra and Wind Ensemble this past weekend. Watch the performance here if you missed it.

Vaccination Rates (as of November 15, 2021)

• Student vaccination rate: 90.02%
• Faculty vaccination rate: 94.5%
• Staff vaccination rate: 84.6%
• University cumulative vaccination rate: 89.4%

To keep up with the latest stats, visit the COVID-19 dashboard on our Health and Safety website.

A Final Thanksgiving Thought

While we are in the spirit of giving thanks, Mosaic is offering a lovely opportunity for you to send a gratitude gram to someone in the Southwestern community. Perhaps you’re feeling especially grateful for a friend, professor, advisor, or mentor? Or maybe a classmate, friendly face in the Commons, or helpful staff member in the post office? All you have to do is fill out this form, and the individual you wish to thank will receive your sweet message and a treat. Submissions are due by November 18. Never pass up an opportunity for enjoying sweet potato casserole or for demonstrating kindness!