Virus Task Force Updates

May 9, Update:  The dashboard was updated on Friday, but has been changed this morning to reflect our new “substantial” status; the county transmission rate remain “high.” We expect about 100 students living on campus this summer and will test weekly; a isolation plan has been prepared for those testing positive. Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth has its own testing process for its students here on campus. Commencement will proceed as planned this weekend. We may meet occasionally early this summer to discuss the fall semester and assess any changes across the region. Have a final week, Bears! And congratulations, seniors!

May 2, Update:  The dashboard was updated last Friday morning. We discussed inventory for the remainder of the semester. We looked at trendlines and discussed other variants. Students should continue to participate in on-campus testing; faculty and staff are welcome as well. Incoming students will be required to submit proof of vaccinations; the exemption policy remains intact. We meet again next Monday and will meet occasionally through the summer. Have a great week, Bears!

April 25, Update: The dashboard was updated on Friday. Testing will continue this week. The positivity rate remains low though we are aware of several new cases. We will issue another communication regarding testing early this week; daily hours remain the same. The task force continues to consider vaccination requirements for new and incoming students–a final decision will come soon. The task force meets again next Monday.

April 18, Update:  Campus infection rates have slowly dropped over the past three weeks and in order to continue to be vigilant, all students will continue to test on a weekly basis. As a reminder, faculty and staff are also welcome to test on campus. This morning, the task force discussed trends in the health of the surrounding community and on other local campuses, and started to look forward to COVID protocol for the fall 2022 semester. The task force will meet again next Monday.

April 11, Update:  Our positivity rate last week hovered above one percent, down from the previous week. Because we continue to see transmission on campus, likely from the new Omicron variant, we are likely going to recommend mask-wearing in “close” indoor settings. More details to come soon. We are also evaluating our quarantine policy for contacts and will likely require weekly testing for all contacts moving forward. We’re also looking at NCAA guidances on the matter. Last week’s dashboard was updated with results through Thursday. A campus communication will be sent today with additional information about testing and quarantining. The task force meets again next Monday. Have a great week, Bears!

April 4, Update:  The dashboard has been updated, though the data doesn’t include Friday’s results. Over that seven-day period ending Thursday, 1,100 tests were conducted; Friday’s results were better and we saw a decrease in the positivity rate. We are requiring every student to test again once this week to monitor whether that rate continues its downward trend. A communication will be sent to student this morning about testing. Have a great week, Bears!

March 31, Update: In light of this week’s spike in positive cases, all students must get tested today and tomorrow. To accommodate this, testing hours in the lower level of Myrin Library have been extended. The testing site will be open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. today (Thursday, March 31) and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, April 1). Additionally, all students, faculty, and staff are strongly advised to wear masks in all indoor settings at this time while we continue to assess he health of our campus community.

March 28, Update: The dashboard continues to reflect a “moderate” COVID transmission level on our campus. The task force today discussed enforcement of the vaccination requirement for individuals who have failed to comply and are not exempt from the requirement. 

March 21, Update: Last week’s dashboard has been updated, but it does not reflect the data we collected on Friday, per usual. (We had zero positives on Friday.) We discussed the response to last week’s mask-policy changes; it is important that testing continues so that we can continue with this approach. We spoke about this week’s stage performances. Signage across campus continues to be taken down to reflect the changes in mask-wearing. The task force will meet again next Monday. Have a great week!

March 14, Update:  We continue to monitor rates across the region, which have stabilized; the county transmission rate is no longer “high.” A communication to faculty will be sent mid-week regarding an update to the mask-wearing requirements in classrooms and other indoor venues; it will be shared with staff as well. The task force meets again on Thursday. Have a great week back from Spring Break, Bears!

March 3, Update: Students received an email this week about testing, both before they arrive to campus from spring break and the week of their return; an updated version including discussion about the new CDC guidance will be shared with faculty and staff early next week. There will be very limited testing options on campus during spring break. We will communicate testing updates to student through Instagram next week. We spoke with admission about the Academic Day on March 19 and campus tours. We will reconvene on Monday, March 14. Have a great break, Bears!

February 28, Update: This is the final week before Spring Break and—as was communicated last week—students should make sure they have an at-home COVID test so that they can test themselves before returning to campus. We will test all students upon return from spring break. The Task Force is reviewing the CDC’s latest recommendations on mask wearing and will soon issue guidance for the campus community. Look for a communication with more information this week.

February 24, Update  There have been 2 new positives reported in on-campus testing this past week, and 3 overall that we are aware of. This puts the college in the “moderate” category. A reminder was sent yesterday to the campus community about testing requirements; vaccinated students must continue to get tested every-other week. Beginning next week, we will reach out to faculty and staff who have not provided their vaccination status. We continue to monitor what’s happening around Montgomery County, particularly around mitigation measures. The VTF meets again on Monday. Have a great Thursday, Ursinus!

February 21, Update Our faculty/staff vaccination rate is approximately 86% with 20 requested exemptions. Last week’s dashboard was updated to reflect a “Low” on-campus transmission rate with zero new positives. A general testing reminder will be sent later this week to students. Given the availability of at-home tests, we will be asking all students to test prior to their return to campus the week of spring break. We meet again this Thursday. Have a great week, Ursinus.

February 17, Update  Since last Friday, we’ve conducted a total of 349 tests with no positives. That places us in the low transmission category. We continue to monitor the health of the county, which remains in the high transmission category. Task Force discussed faculty and staff compliance with the vaccination requirement and will soon be issuing reminders to faculty and staff who have not yet complied. It also discussed spring break trips, mostly for athletics teams. The Task Force meets again on Monday, February 21.

February 14, Update  The dashboard was updated on Friday, which showed another decrease in positives. We continued discussing possible changes in mitigation measures, though we expect to continue with our current testing frequency. A reminder that students are required to report booster updates, while faculty and staff must provide proof of vaccination. We meet again on Thursday. Have a great week, Ursinus!

February 10, Update  Today is the deadline for faculty and staff to submit a proof of vaccination. We spoke about the changing landscape and our testing and mitigation measures as we head further into the semester–we’ll continue to discuss and share updates whenever we can. Our positivity rate continues to decrease; the dashboard will be updated again tomorrow morning. The task force meets again early next week. Have a great Thursday, Ursinus!

February 7, Update  Positivity rates dropped on campus last week–check the updated dashboard for the latest data. A communication this morning will introduce the new testing schedule. Everyone is reminded to continue wearing masks in all indoor settings. We are reconsidering the reservation system for the Fitness Center; more to come. KN95 masks are still available at the testing center. Wellness Center will issue another reminder to students today about the booster registration form. The task force meets again on Thursday.

February 3, Update  Over the past six days, we recorded 4 new positives from on-campus testing. Our transmission is far less than that of the surrounding community. We will update the dashboard again tomorrow morning and, on Monday, send an update about possible changes to the frequency of on-campus testing sessions. There have been 863 responses to the booster survey–good progress. Admission spoke about preparations for coming events, which are at capacity. Everyone should check our campus operations page for any unexpected changes to operating hours and venues across campus. The task force meets again next Monday. Have a great Thursday, Bears!

January 31, Update  The dashboard was updated with last week’s test results. We continue to average just below a 2% positivity rate. We will be requiring every students to test once this week, but will reconsider that frequency beginning next week. Faculty and staff are welcome to join this week’s testing if interested–see this page for hours. Our test inventory is looking great through spring break, and we are well prepared to continue supporting all athletic teams and upcoming productions. To date, we’ve received about 450 submissions to the new booster report survey; our deadline is tomorrow. Vaccination exemptions for faculty/staff will begin rolling out soon. We continue to closely monitor Montgomery County transmission rates and those across the region, which have stabilized and are trending in the right direction. A campus communication with updates will be sent today. We will meet again on Thursday.

January 27, Update  Today is our booster clinic with Rite Aid; just under 200 individuals signed-up. A communication will be sent shortly with a link to upload booster information. We continue to record a positivity rate of just under 2% this week. Our testing inventory remains in good shape for the next few weeks. We expect that all students will be required to test again next week; more to come. We are now welcoming spectators to athletic events. The dashboard will be updated tomorrow morning. Have a great Thursday, Ursinus!

January 24, Update To date, 150 people have signed up for Thursday’s booster clinic–the 10:00 and 12:00 time slots are full. We are still taking reservations. We are in good shape for this week’s mandatory tests. We are relaxing our spectator policy–check “Good Morning, Ursinus” mid-week for details. Several communications are planned for this week regarding testing times and, separately, collecting booster information. We continue to monitor the region; the positivity rates in Montgomery County continue to decrease. Have a great week, Ursinus!

January 20, Update  We continue to see about a 2% positivity rate after two days of testing. Students must test again today or tomorrow; we aren’t using the Navica app for this series of tests. We spoke about additional updates to Defend the Den and we intend to begin updating the dashboard tomorrow to reflect this week’s test. A communication will be sent tomorrow outlining details for the upcoming booster clinic. Admission spoke about its preparations for upcoming events, the next of which is already at capacity; the next two months will be especially busy. We also discussed other significant college events such as Alumni Weekend and Commencement weekend. We are in regular contact with coaches and student-athletes regarding testing and mitigation measures. We meet again on Monday. Stay well, Bears.

January 19, Update  A reminder you may now order at-home test kids through USPS.com. During yesterday’s check-in, we recorded 23 positive results out of 1,180 total on-campus tests—less than 2% positivity rate. Check-in for commuter students continues today. We continue to study CDC’s updated guidelines for isolation and quarantine; anyone testing positive should isolate for 6 nights. We will send a test kit to the homes of students isolating off-campus. We expect to test all students again either Thursday or Friday, and test again once next week. A communication will be sent this afternoon sharing more. We are confirming final details for the upcoming booster clinic; details and sign-up information coming soon. The task force meets again tomorrow morning. Welcome back, Bears!

January 12, Update  The VTF previewed tonight’s student/parent town hall meeting at 7:00, which will be recorded. We discussed at length additional booster information, will be provided to parents and students in the following few days. We spoke about banquets, overnight visits for student-athlete recruitment, and other events possibly involving visitors–additional guidance to come. We are working with key vendors to require vaccinations among those staff as well. Preparations are well underway for important admission events later this month. Testing orders are in place with up to 5 different supplies; inventory remains tight. It is our intent to begin offering on-campus testing to faculty and staff later this month, after the beginning of the semester. (In the meantime, we will work to update Defend the Den with possible external testing locations such as Spring Valley YMCA.) The Fitness Center will resume with a reservation system like last semester. Our contact tracing team is ready to begin later this week for early arrivals. We continue to purchase KN95 masks when possible. We meet again tomorrow!

January 10, Update  Today the task force reviewed the college’s testing inventory and we remain in good shape for the beginning of the semester, including for athletes and students arriving early. We discussed the Supreme Court’s OSHA mandates and the current Supreme Court; if they haven’t done so already, all faculty and staff must complete the Qualtrics survey sharing their vaccination status. A student communication with more details will be sent tomorrow, and a faculty-focused communication will be sent by Dean Schneider this afternoon. For those interested in the Fitness Center, we’ll continue with the current sign-up policy. We are confirming details with Sodexo about the temporary take-out policy. New masking signage will be posted around campus this week; masks are available–please check out Defend the Den later this afternoon for details. The athletic spectator policy will be updated to state that faculty, staff and students may attend (and must wear masks). The task force meets again on Wednesday. Thanks for your support and have a great week, Ursinus!

January 6, Update  Employees should complete the short survey sharing their vaccination status by next Monday. Today we spoke about plans for the in-person community conference–more details to come from the organizers. Residential student check-in is Tuesday from 10:00-4:00 (commuting students are the following day); we discussed testing logistics for those events as well as general planning and traffic flow. Students should expect communication with specific details next week. We are considering how best to support events early this semester, especially those with external visitors and spectators. We are also discussing matters related to boosters, which will be mandatory for students without exemptions. The task force meets again early next week.

January 5, Update  Today we spoke about the “return to play” protocol for student-athletes and other athletic guidelines. We also review updated practices for both quarantining and isolation, which will be posted to Defend the Den soon. The college will continue to search for–and provide, wherever appropriate–KN95 masks for our community. We are working with Sodexo to likely offer take-out dining for the first week of the semester. A employee-focused communication about vaccination requirements will come soon; students will be receiving an email about pre-arrival matters shortly. Admission provided an update on upcoming events and dinners, as well as expectations for campus visitors. A reminder the bookstore remains closed this week, but the first floor of Commons (the café) remains open to the public. We discussed protocol for college-sponsored student trips off campus. Tomorrow we are prioritizing testing logistics. The task force meets again tomorrow morning.

January 4, Update Welcome “back,” Ursinus! Our full attention is preparing the campus for our students’ return mid-January. The VTF discussed this weekend’s athletic events–until further notice, only current students and game administrators will be permitted to attend events. That temporary policy will be re-evaluated next week. We looked at our testing inventory and are prepared for the start of the semester. As of now, we plan to test students twice weekly to start, with contacts tested at a greater frequency (likely daily for 5 days). We continue to prepare for next week’s parent / student town hall and our next student communication, which will include reminders about pre-arrival testing. Our on-campus booster clinic will occur later this month. We reviewed our isolation and quarantine policy and housing inventory, as well as the updated CDC recommendations related to quarantining. Faculty and staff should continue to work remotely if possible until further notice–a follow-up communication will be sent in the next two days, which will also include an update on the new vaccination policy. The VTF meets again tomorrow morning. Stay healthy, everyone!

December 16, Update  We continue to experience a 1-2% percent positivity rate from this week’s tests. With Omicron continuing to pose concerns, we are likely to increase testing at the beginning of next semester; we are preparing different strategies so that we may pivot if necessary. We spoke about the demands on personnel and how we can improve that situation in the spring. Dean Bryant spoke with other Centennial Conference student affairs VPs about spring semester plans and best practices. We will communicate an important update about boosters to our students within the next day or two. We also discussed how to support upcoming admission events in January and February. A townhall for current students and parents is being planned for January 12–more details to come. Have a great Thursday, Ursinus!

December 13, Update Last week’s dashboard was updated, with campus now in the “high” category. Any students wishing to participate in this week’s on-campus testing should do so at their regularly scheduled timeslot. Additional information about this January’s new check-in is forthcoming; all students will be expected to test upon their return for the spring semester. A booster clinic has officially been scheduled for January–more details to come soon! All students are encouraged to get their boosters over break. We discussed additional spring semester preparations, especially concerning isolation protocol should the Omicron variant continue to expand. We meet again on Thursday. Have a great finals week, Ursinus!

December 6,  Update  We expect every student to participate in on-campus testing this week–the last week of classes. We know of one off-campus positive reported over the weekend. We are in good shape with our PCR test inventory for the remainder of the semester. We continue to closely monitor the spread of the Omicron variant, which appears to be–at this early stage–more infectious than the current Delta variant. The task force meets again this Thursday. Have a great week, Ursinus!

December 2, Update  Thus far this week, we’ve had four positives from on-campus testing, three of whom are students. We are aware of one new positive from an off-campus test. Testing compliance has not been at the levels we expect of students; we will communicate implications later today. We continue to closely follow developments and new data concerning the new Omicron variant; we are monitoring that situation, along with news about the suspended OSHA mandates, and their possible implications for an updated vaccination policy on campus. According to the most recent data, we estimate more than 71 percent of all full-time employees are fully vaccinated. All faculty and staff should continue to complete this survey to indicate your vaccination status. We meet again on Monday. Have a great Thursday, Ursinus!

November 29, Update  We are evaluating the OSHA vaccination requirements, which remain suspended for now, and continue to plan for different scenarios. More details to come. All students are expected to get tested this week–please come at your regular time slot, regardless of your “Block” schedule. We are working to schedule a booster clinic for mid- or late-January. We will meet again this Thursday morning. Have a great week, Ursinus!

November 18, Update  Thus far this week, we have one on-site positive and off-site positive of which we are aware–neither of which are students. We are prepared for on-site staffing and testing over Thanksgiving and winter break, especially for student-athletes. Another student-focused reminder about testing will be sent after break. OSHA has suspended enforcement of its proposed COVID mandates; we’ll continue to monitor and be prepared should things change. We had a successful counselor fly-in earlier this week, and we welcome 23 fully-vaccinated students to campus as part of our Access program. Members of the task force will continue its business and communications next week, but will next meet virtually on Monday, Nov. 29. Have a great Thanksgiving Break, Bears!

November 15, UpdateThe taskforce continues to closely monitor state / national infection rates as well as the proposed OSHA requirement and the new injunction that made news this weekend. We updated the dashboard on Friday with three new student positives, one of which was from an off-campus test. There has been one new positive this weekend. We ask for everyone’s support to encourage all students, especially those who are vaccinated, to test on-campus during their regular times. Testing next week will occur only Monday and Tuesday due to Thanksgiving Break. We are preparing updates for this Wednesday’s faculty/staff townhall. Stay healthy, Ursinus, and have a great week!

November 12, Update: Over the last five testing days, there have been 453 tests with two positives on campus. Our status remains moderate. On Thursday, the Task Force continued to discuss possibilities surrounding the vaccination requirement option of the recent OSHA guidelines. This week, a communication was sent to students reminding them that flu season is upon us and—with some cases diagnosed on campus—it’s more important than ever to continue to practice good hygiene, stay masked, and get appropriate flu immunizations. The Task Force meets again on Monday, Nov. 15. Have a great weekend, Bears!

November 8, Update  There were no positives from Thursday’s testing and last week’s testing results suggest no significant impact from Homecoming. The campus remains at moderate transmission levels. Today, we discussed the Biden administration’s COVID-19 mandate, as well as the planned athletics hall of fame event on campus in December. The Task Force next meets on Thursday. Have a great week, Bears!

November 4, Update  We’ve recorded one new positive this week–the first student positive in nearly a month. We’ll continue to monitor post-Homecoming testing closely. We discussed smaller events occurring just before Thanksgiving Week that involve campus visitors and how we can best support those programs. The Wellness Center is seeing more students reporting seasonal cold symptoms. The dashboard and social media will be updated again tomorrow morning. The task force meets again on Monday morning. Have a great Thursday, Ursinus!

October 28, Update This week is Block B. We talked about the current landscape and the availability of boosters, which we encourage for those eligible. A campus communication promoting mask-wearing indoors, as well as an update on boosters, will be sent early next week. We’ve recorded no new student positives from on-campus testing thus far this week. The college is hosting 2 “fly-ins” this November, one for counselors, the second for students, which we also discussed; all participants will be fully vaccinated. We meet again on Monday.

October 25, Update This week is BLOCK B. The dashboard is being changed to reflect updated data from last week’s tests. Tomorrow evening’s parent/student town hall will include an update on campus health and testing. We discussed preparations around this weekend’s Homecoming. We meet again on Thursday. Have a great week, Ursinus!

October 22, Update Testing today is 10 a.m.-6 p.m. All students are expected to have participated in on-campus testing yesterday or today. The dashboard is being updated to reflect data from 10/15 - 10/21 and a social media update will be posted this morning. We are preparing final updates for next Tuesday evening’s student/parent town hall. We meet again on Monday. Have a great and healthy weekend, Bears!

October 20, Update  Welcome back from fall break! A reminder will be sent to all students about this week’s testing sessions, which all students are expected to join. Hours are noon-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on Friday. Faculty and staff are welcome to participate. We are aware of two off-campus positive cases among faculty/staff, which will be reflected in our dashboard this week. We spoke about continued staffing relating to on-campus testing through the beginning of next semester. Our testing inventory looks good for the remainder of the semester. We are not likely to track boosters, though we are looking into a booster event next semester. We will provide an overall update of campus health during next Tuesday night’s student/parent town hall. The task force meets again on Friday.

October 14, Update We haven’t recorded a new positive on-campus this week. Full testing for all students occurs next Thursday and Friday–only 151 students have signed up thus far. We will send out reminders. We continue to discuss recent Biden Administration recommendations for employers. More to come. We’ve begun preparing for the October 26 current student/parent town hall. We meet again next Wednesday. Have a great Thursday, everyone!

October 11, Update  The task force discussed an updated testing schedule for next week–we expect all students to test the Thursday and Friday after fall break using the pick-a-time scheduler. More details to come in today’s communication. We all spoke about the set-up of upcoming indoor track meets and our spectator policy. The dashboard was updated on Friday with last week’s data–there were zero on-campus positive cases. The task force meets again on Thursday. Have a great week, Bears!

October 7, Update  We are updating our general quarantine guidelines for unvaccinated faculty and staff named as contacts, and will change the return-to-work document to reflect update. We’ve begun previewing the spring semester and are evaluating isolation and quarantine options. The dashboard will be changed to now include positive test results recorded off campus. The next campus communication will be sent early next week asking students to prepare for fall and Thanksgiving breaks–and test when they return. The college recorded 321 flu shots on Tuesday. We meet again on Monday.

October 4, Update  The dashboard has been updated to reflect the one current positive and a moderate status (not “low,” as previously indicated). We spoke about pre-event testing options for students in the performing arts. Reminder the flu shot clinic is in the field house from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. For those interested in booster shots, please visit this webpage (we’ll also post on our website). We continue to work with the Fitness Center on masking and humidity challenges. Regarding fall break, we plan to test all students after their return–more details to come. We next meet on Thursday. Have a great week, Bears!

September 30, Update Wellness will send out a reminder about next Tuesday’s on-site flu clinic in the field house, which is available for everyone on campus. We briefly discussed booster availability over the long-term. We anticipate turning on water fountains after fall break. We talked about how best to support and help prepare for Homecoming; registration begins today. We will add new signage in places where visitors cannot go during Homecoming–residence halls and Myrin Library, for example. We spoke about the upcoming Fall Open House for admission. It is our recommendation to host Election Day polling in November in the Commons. We reviewed the regional landscape, which appears to have evened out. We’ve reported one positive Since Friday. A reminder that faculty and staff may test on-site as well–please download the NAVICA app if interested. The college plans to host EMS training for campus and community members, which we support. The task force meets again on Monday. Happy Thursday, Bears! 

September 27, Update  We’re closely tracking testing this week, following a busy Family Day weekend. We’re encouraging students to participate in testing this week, regardless of whether they’re scheduled. We also encourage faculty and staff to attend tomorrow’s townhall, during which we’ll walk through some important updates. We continue to discuss humidity concerns and mitigation measures with the Fitness Center, and we’ll offer recommendations later this week. We discussed updates regarding international travel. The task force meets again this Thursday.

September 23, Update  We conducted 123 tests over the past two days, with zero positives. We discussed masking, air flow, and the humidity challenges with the Fitness Center. We continued discussing repercussions for students not complying with our testing process; Block C testing has been lighter than expected this week. We previewed a few messages for next Tuesday’s town hall, particularly around remote work and on-campus testing opportunities for faculty and staff. We’ve spoken with Abbott about additional test inventory for later this semester. The dashboard will be updated by tomorrow morning and we meet again on Monday.

September 22, Update  We discussed several national and regional transmission models and remain optimistic about this fall semester, especially with our in-house modeling and plans. We spoke about the few students who have not been complying with our guidelines, especially regarding on-campus testing, and likely actions moving forward. We continue to look into boosters, though we have nothing new to share. An update on the remote work policy and our recommendation will be shared mid-next week. Several community members have inquired about the on-campus testing hours; we will post on the Defend the Den landing page and in subsequent communications. Plans for upcoming admission events and prospective families are going well. More high schools are mandating proof of vaccinations or recent negative tests for visiting college admission counselors; we are complying. The task force meets again tomorrow. Happy Wednesday, Bears!

September 20, Update  The dashboard was updated late last week to reflect one new positive and a moderate transmission rate. County infection rates look to remain steady. A communication to faculty and staff will be sent later this week regarding testing updates. We continue to prepare for future events such as fall break, which is a month away. We also continue to assess our staffing at the testing center and other support resources for the remainder of the semester. A reminder that everyone must wear masks indoors, even if just using the restroom. Given the health of campus, we also revisited the longer-term remote work policy that is still not in effect. Branded masks are now available–more details to come. We meet again on Wednesday. Happy Monday, everyone!

September 16, Update We conducted 105 tests yesterday with one new positive–the first of the week. Faculty and staff interested in on-campus tests can now be accommodated in the lower level of Myrin; further details will be shared in a communication soon. As a reminder, testing occurs M, W and Th from 4-8:00 p.m., and Tu and Fri from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. We walked through advance plans for Family Day. We meet again next Monday. The dashboard will be updated tomorrow morning, and a social media post will communicate the college’s transmission rate as well.

September 15, Update We conducted nearly 170 tests yesterday, with zero positives. We remain at zero positives for the week. We previewed our testing inventory for the semester and confirmed we’re in good shape. We know consumer demand for OTC testing kits is growing, so please explore options such as this from Wal-Mart. On-campus testing is also available to faculty and staff if they are interested–additional details to come soon, including a link to the NAVICA app. We meet again tomorrow. And a reminder to students–this week is “Block B.”

September 13, Update Today we begin our regular testing with “Block B.” The dashboard was updated on Friday afternoon with last week’s data. We continue to look at the Biden Administration’s covid plan and its potential impact on Ursinus faculty and staff; we are discussing the possibility of opening on-campus testing soon. Because of our low transmission rate, we will begin permitting guests this week–the guest registration form will be updated by the end of the day. We meet again on Wednesday morning.

September 10, Update We completed 868 tests over the past seven days, recording zero new positives; Ursinus is in the “low” transmission category for this past week. Today’s testing session will run from 10:00 - 2:00. Registered events are continuing as usual. We are evaluating how to extend on-campus testing to faculty and staff–more to come. We discussed yesterday’s announcement of Pres. Biden’s covid plan and its potential impacts for campus, and we’ll continue monitoring. The plans for Family Day, our next large campus event, are moving along well. Beginning next Monday, the task force will meet for three days every week, on a tentative basis. Have a safe weekend, everyone!

September 9, Update Yesterday, we tested 204 individuals, with no positives. We’ve recorded zero new positives thus far this week. Generally, we are happy with the high student adoption rates for both the NAVICA app and the Pick-a-Time online scheduler. We spoke about student compliance with covid-related guidelines. We will update the dashboard and communicate the week’s transmission status in a social media post early tomorrow morning. Happy Thursday, Bears!

September 8, Update In our second day of required testing this week, we recorded zero positives among 250 tests. We remain at zero new positives for the week. We continue to monitor the number of positive cases in Montgomery County, which have been slowly decreasing; the county remains in the high transmission category. We are strongly encouraging campus visitors to mask when outdoors, though it’s not required; our tour guides will mask outdoors for their own well-being. We spoke about planning for the Fall Open House on October 9 and the student fly-ins scheduled for mid-November. The task force meets again tomorrow.

September 6, Update: Today, the task force discussed in detail the new Montgomery County recommendation that everyone mask-up in general public settings, both indoor and outdoor, regardless of vaccination status. This applies to areas in the “high” transmission category; Ursinus remains in the “moderate” category, but we want to ensure our campus remains as healthy as possible. A communication outlining our response will be sent by early afternoon. We meet again tomorrow.

September 3, Update We reviewed all new data for the dashboard. In total, we recorded 1,476 tests with 2 positives–both occurring last Sunday during check-in. As we are in the “moderate” transmission category, registered events are permitted this weekend! A student communication will be sent today requiring that students reserve a long-term timeslot for on-campus testing. We spoke about upcoming events, particularly Family Day and that surrounding the Speech Wall. We meet again on Monday. Have a great weekend, Ursinus!

September 2, Update  A faculty/staff-focused email will be sent this morning regarding updated on-campus employee guidelines. Additionally, a student-focused announcement that outlines the semester-long testing schedule will be sent within the next day. To date, 1,533 individuals have downloaded the NAVICA app. We meet again tomorrow, after which the dashboard will be updated.

September 1, Update Yesterday’s faculty discussion hosted by Mark Schneider went well, with several questions focused on mask wearing, post-fall break plans, and intercollegiate competition. We discussed current NCAA and conference recommendations. Due to popular demand, we have ordered additional boxes of KN95 masks; the branded and expandable Ursinus masks should be arriving soon as well. We spoke about our admission counseling traveling efforts. An update on our longer-term testing process will be communicated soon. The task force meets again tomorrow.

August 31, Update  We will begin officially updating the dashboard with testing data this week; it now includes the current student vaccinate rate. We are close to finalizing a longer-term daily testing schedule and a communication explaining that process will be sent later this week. We expect to test approximately 125 students every day. Social media will be updated every Friday morning about the health of campus. A employee-focused communication will be sent in the next two days, providing new update and information about testing for faculty and staff. We meet again tomorrow morning.

August 30, Update  This weekend’s check-in went smooth, as did the process around the new NAVICA app. More than 1,500 individuals across campus now have profiles for the app. In total, we tested 1,433 students this past week with two positive results; those students are now isolating off campus. We are now above a 95% full vaccination rate among students. Mark Schneider will speak with faculty tomorrow about the fall semester plans, and we’ll issue a follow-up email to all faculty and staff with key takeaways from that discussion on Wednesday. We also spoke about communication reminders to students about the newer testing processes. Good luck with classes, everyone!

August 27, Update As of Friday morning, 1,228 students connected to the NAVICA app and set up their profile. More than 400 on-campus tests were conducted during first-year check-in yesterday, with zero positives. A reminder to faculty and staff to wear masks in academic and administrative buildings, though they are not required in private office spaces. The college will once again be posting weekly updates on social media about the health of campus and that week’s testing results. We meet again on Monday. Thank you to everyone who will be onsite assisting with our next check-in on Sunday! Have a great weekend, Ursinus!

August 25, Update The dashboard has been updated to reflect the new “campus status,” based on the CDC’s transmission categories. Nearly 960 students have downloaded the NAVICA app, a significant increase over yesterday. Wellness report that 1,443 students have demonstrated proof of vaccination–95% of the student population is within reach! We are prepared and ready for tomorrow’s first-year check-in, along with the on-campus testing that will occur. The updated employee “return to campus” guidelines have been drafted and are still under discussion (These are different from the new remote work policy.) Over the 2-3 days, masking signage will go up at building entrances. We spoke about additional staffing to support our covid-related testing and health procedures. The task force meets again on Friday. Happy Wednesday, Ursinus!

August 24 Update  We discussed the rapid antigen tests and reviewed our inventory; we are in good shape for this semester. For the first week of classes, our intention as of now is to test students with exemptions as well as student-athletes, but we’re prepared to expand that operation if necessary. Nearly 700 students have downloaded the NAVICA app, so targeted communications will be sent to raise that number over the next 2-3 days. There are just over 40 students who have requested exemptions from vaccinations; we are above 90% of students who’ve submitted proof of vaccinations. The college sent a communication yesterday about expectations for the fall semester and the Defend the Den pages continue to be updated with new information. VTF is aware of the Pfizer authorization and is monitoring the general landscape regarding vaccinations. The task force meets again tomorrow morning.

August 23, Update We discussed a new campus communication that will be sent within the next day that outlines all updated guidelines and student expectations for the fall. A total of 1,408 students have submitted proof of vaccination, but only 620 students have downloaded the NAVICA app. We’ll continue to promote both. We decided that employees who receive positive test results should communicate those directly to their supervisor rather than HR, as was the protocol last year–more details to come. We are changing the color-coded campus status system on our dashboard to now closely reflect the CDC’s transmission levels–high, substantial, moderate and low. We meet again tomorrow.

August 20, Update There are 553 students who’ve downloaded the NAVICA app. More than 1,400 students reported at least partial vaccination–approximately 91.5% of the student population. We are finalizing the proposed testing guidelines for faculty and staff, which will be communicated early next week. The on-campus testing of student-athletes has been going well. We are re-considering the color-coded status updates currently on the dashboard; an updated version will be presented next week. The task force will continue meeting daily as the semester begins and the covid19@ursinus.edu inbox will continue to be used to address questions. Have a great Friday, Bears!

August 5, Update — The Task Force continues to prepare for student-athletes’ return to campus over the course of the next week and is finalizing details, logistics, and staffing for testing those who are exempt and not vaccinated upon arrival. We are closely monitoring CDC recommendations for contact tracing of vaccinated contacts. There is a call today among presidents of Centennial Conference colleges regarding upcoming fall sports season. Please be on the lookout for an official communication tomorrow regarding the college’s new remote work policy, as well as a broader communication early next week regarding additional updates and guidance as we prepare for the start of the fall semester. The Task Force will meet again on Monday. Read Previous Updates

July 22, Update - Nearly two-thirds of students have submitted proof of vaccinations; the submission deadline is July 31. We discussed possible mitigation measures such as mask wearing, and will continue to prepare for different scenarios. We also discussed mask-wearing during the move-in process given the high level of interaction among families; everyone will be expected to wear masks when indoors in public areas throughout the event. We are being flexible with the design of the new campus signage so that we can adjust should circumstances change quickly. Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Mark Schneider will help lead a conversation with Montgomery County colleges tomorrow about Ursinus’s plans and concerns. We also talked about personnel support for on-campus testing. We meet again next Tuesday and Friday.

July 19, Update - A communication will be sent this week with details about pre-arrival COVID-19 testing for students, as well as reminders about vaccinations. The task force continues to monitor the overall health of the region, as well as the Delta variant, and continues to model different scenarios for the fall semester. It meets again on Thursday.

July 13, Update —We are preparing the next round of campus communications to be sent in the coming week. We continue to model different scenarios for campus health, taking into account the growing presence of the Delta variant. For the fall semester, students will need proof of vaccination prior to their arrival; students should submit that documentation to the Wellness Center by July 31. Currently, 803 students have submitted vaccination information. All students should also get tested within 3 days of their arrival, and let Wellness know of any positive results only. We continue to look at periodic testing options while also considering universal antigen testing during check-in. We will be meeting again with Montgomery County officials soon, as well as Centennial Conference and AICUP peers. The task force meets again next Monday.

July 6, Update —The task force continues to evaluate scenarios for the fall semester, with the Delta variant guiding early discussions about our campus plans and informing hypothetical modeling. Centennial Conference athletic directors are discussing the upcoming fall season and potential protocols. We are looking at personnel and staffing support to assist with possible testing, as needed, in the fall. Unvaccinated students currently living on campus continue to be tested on a weekly basis—we’ve had no positives thus far. We are currently evaluating the “Defend the Den” pages and updating where appropriate, and we intend to keep the dashboard live for the fall semester. The task force meets again next Tuesday morning.

June 29, Update - Since the mask mandate has been lifted in Pennsylvania—and because infection rates in our area have dropped substantially in recent weeks—fully vaccinated students who are living on campus this summer are no longer required to wear masks in common areas in their residence halls. The Task Force discussed guidance for overnight visitors and other guests during the coming fall semester, and the expectation that those guests will also be fully vaccinated prior to their visit. We also discussed pre-arrival testing for all students, as well as testing and case management protocol for the fall semester for unvaccinated or exempt faculty, staff, and students. We meet again on July 6.

June 22, Update - Our vaccination rate for students currently on campus is now above 90 percent. Current students on campus who remain unvaccinated are testing weekly. We spoke about how to best support international students still seeking vaccinations. We discussed a new, practical guideline to consistently apply to larger indoor gatherings beginning this fall semester. We are planning to continue our partnership with Perkiomen Valley High School in which students take Ursinus courses on campus. We talked about the planned ventilation shutdown this Thursday lasting around 2 hours; we don’t consider this is a risk considering our high vaccination rate. We will be updating campus signage to reflect newer recommendations later this summer. We meet again next Tuesday.

June 11, Update - The task force is currently evaluating all signage on campus and developing a tentative communications plan for the remainder of the summer. We considered an updated list of mitigation considerations for the campus community. We’ve been making progress on our new vaccination exemption policy—more details to come soon. We may make a few tents available in the fall for outdoor space—we are exploring possible options, but we expect indoor capacity to return to normal this fall. We spoke about how best to market fall events and academic programs throughout the region. We meet next on Tuesday, June 22.

June 8, Update - Admission joined the meeting to review this Saturday’s open house and the COVID precautions for all visitors. We discussed summer activities and ongoing fall planning requests for departments. The group reviewed a communication that will be sent the next day or so regarding campus COVID-19 status, mask requirements, and faculty and staff summer testing. We received an update on the summer fellows program which is going smoothly. We also discussed the upcoming vaccination exemption announcement to come next week. The task force meets again on Friday.

June 3, Update - We continued discussing different variables related to vaccination, employee testing, and mitigation measures for this both this summer and fall. A small task force committee has drafted exemption forms for both medical and religious concerns and we are now reviewing those versions. More details to come soon. We spoke about the perceived expectations of campus visitors and those employees who routinely travel off campus to represent Ursinus. We are researching how other similar colleges may be changing their guidelines this summer. We meet again next Tuesday.

June 1, Update - About 87% of students planning to be on campus this summer have indicated they are vaccinated, while 59% of all faculty and staff have reported full vaccinations. We are researching how to approach requests for exemptions. We continue to evaluate vaccination recommendations for employees as well as vendors and are working on a flexible guidance for the campus. That updated plan will also include any changes to our testing recommendations. We reconvene on Thursday to continue fleshing out these transitional plans.

May 14, Update - The task force will take short break and reconvene with a summer weekly meeting schedule. We will continue to communicate regularly, review documents and communications, work on individual and small team assignments, and have special meetings as needed throughout the summer. Congratulations, Bears, we made it! Have a safe and enjoyable summer.

May 12, Update - The final day of mandatory testing is tomorrow, Thursday, May 13, and runs until noon. A representative from College Events and Signature Programs joined the task force meeting to share an update on this weekend’s commencement ceremonies. To follow the festivities via live stream, visit the commencement web page. We also discussed this summer’s Movies on the Lawn series with the CEDC. The group again reviewed vaccine guidelines, CDC recommendations, the changing state and county situations, and feedback from Montgomery County regarding their expectations for the next few months. The task force will take short break and reconvene with a summer weekly meeting schedule. We will continue to communicate regularly, review documents and communications, work on individual and small team assignments, and have special meetings as needed throughout the summer. Congratulations, Bears, we made it! Have a safe and enjoyable summer.

May 11, Update - The task force continues to work on a draft that updates all mitigation measures planned for the fall semester, including possible testing strategies for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Those intended changes will be communicated this June. We also discussed upcoming changes to employee-based guidelines as well as the “living on campus during covid” guidelines for students. We discussed how to monitor the health of the campus and how we may update the dashboard to reflect the newer environment. We meet again tomorrow before taking a short break over the coming few days.

May 10, Update - We are in the final week of mandatory testing. Today’s tests end at 2 p.m., and Thursday’s tests end at noon. Visitors are welcome to come on campus beginning Monday, May 24, but must adhere to all current CDC and Pennsylvania state guidelines, especially those applying to vaccinated and un-vaccinated individuals. We continue to closely monitor the educational landscape about vaccination policies and will providing additional info soon. We are also researching alternate quarantining measures. A small committee of faculty and staff continue to make progress on a new flexible work policy; updates coming mid-summer. The task force meets again tomorrow.

May 7, Update - We administered 612 doses during yesterday’s vaccination clinic, and reported just one positive among the among 954 student tests and 59 faculty/staff tests taken Wednesday. The clinic went very smoothly but for those who could not participate, we recommend visiting the government’s vaccine finder website. We continue to evaluate all summer campus guidelines and expect to be updating our webpages with changes soon, including for campus visitors. Everything is looking good for commencement weekend, both baccalaureate and graduation ceremonies. Have a great weekend, Bears!

May 3, Update - Last week’s dashboard was updated Friday afternoon. Testing continues today. Also, the mandatory weekly testing session for all students is now Wednesday and the 2nd dose vaccination clinic for campus is Thursday. This weekend’s senior celebration and junior open house events went well. We spoke to student affairs leadership across the Centennial Conference on Friday afternoon about evolving vaccination and testing policies for students; we continue to carefully explore all options. We plan to meet again on Wednesday.

April 30, Update - There were just two new, unique positives out of over 1,000 results from yesterday. This weekend is the senior celebration event. A communication about changes to the testing schedule and next week’s clinic will be sent today. We reviewed the final quarantine and isolation plans for the next two weeks. We again spoke about several possible vaccination policies and/or processes. We meet again this afternoon with other Montgomery County colleges and universities. Have a great weekend, Bears!

April 28, Update - We had three new, unique positives from Monday’s tests. Our regular mandatory testing session resumes tomorrow. Next week, the Rite-Aid vaccine clinic is on Thursday, May 6, so our mandatory testing session has been moved to Wednesday, May 5. A communication about the senior celebratory event is being sent today. (We’re still looking for volunteers!) We expect to have about 85 students living on campus this summer, so we continue to evaluate testing options. Please note: on-campus testing will not be provided to faculty and staff this summer. Approximately 38% of all employees are fully vaccinated, while 112 students have confirmed the same. We discussed the CDC’s new recommendations about mask-wearing; more details to come soon. We meet again tomorrow.

April 26, Update - The COVID-19 dashboard is up to date. Last week, there was one new positive from 1,846 tests. Today, the Task Force discussed some logistics planning around the second dose on-campus vaccination clinic, which will be held Thursday, May 6. Volunteers will also be needed for that clinic and more information will soon be shared with the campus community. As a reminder, faculty and staff who are fully vaccinated should report it by visiting https://ursinus.edu/vaccinations and clicking on the form that can be found in the “Fully Vaccinated Information” section. Please take a photo of your completed vaccination card and upload it to the form. Students who are fully vaccinated should email a photo or scan of their vaccination card to wellness@ursinus.edu. The Task Force next meets on Wednesday.

April 23, Update - There were no new, unique positives from this week’s on-campus tests. We are supporting the college’s sustainable move-out plans, which are being finalized. We spoke about the remaining inventory of testing supplies still available for the remainder of the semester. A communication early next week will share updates on key upcoming events on campus. We are working with the CEDC on a tentative plan for a “Movies on the Lawn” summer series. We discussed vaccination recommendations for students living on campus this summer. Reminder that all students, faculty, and staff should let the college know they’ve been fully vaccinated—and that it’s good practice to have a picture of your vaccine card on your phone. We meet again on Monday. Have a great weekend, Bears!

April 21, Update - There were zero positives out of more than 600 tests completed on-campus yesterday. We spoke about using spring testing and contact tracing data to inform our fall decisions. We started receiving questions about college operational matters for both the summer and fall, and will address them soon in a series of communications; we remain optimistic that we will return to a more traditional operation beginning this summer. The community will continue to be involved and consulted in those updates. We reminded everyone to let the college know about vaccinations. Admission spoke about a recent Abele Scholars event, as well as upcoming Access and Junior Open Houses; we will share more information with the campus shortly. Tomorrow is the day for mandatory all student testing. The task force convenes again on Friday.

April 19, Update - Reminder today’s testing session has been moved to tomorrow—Tuesday, April 20—from 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Yesterday was the second dose clinic at North Penn HS. We continued discussing longer-term vaccination recommendations, including those four students engaged in college programs over the summer. This week’s communications include directions around move-out and our intentions for the fall semester. Faculty, staff and students are again reminded to please let the college know if they’ve received second/final doses. We will meet again on Wednesday. Have a good week, Ursinus!

April 16, Update - We had 618 participants in yesterday’s on-campus vaccination clinic. It was a smooth and successful day. Everyone is reminded to save vaccination cards for the second dose. Unrelated: the dashboard should be updated today to reflect the 5 new positives this week. We also previewed plans for commencement weekend and tentative summer activities on-campus. A campus communication about fall semester intentions will be sent in the coming 2-3 days. Have a great (and quiet) weekend, Bears!

April 15, Update - There were two new, unique positives reported from yesterday’s mandatory testing session. Today is the voluntary vaccination clinic in the Field House. Just over 600 community members registered for the event. Once you are fully vaccinated, it is very important to let the College know, regardless of where you received the vaccine. Students should send pictures of vaccination cards to wellness@ursinus.edu, faculty and staff should complete the Qualtrics form. We will remind everyone about what to expect post-vaccination—and how to address any side effects—in social media posts the next two days. This information is also available on the vaccine information web page. The task force will meet again tomorrow. Good luck with today’s vaccines!

April 14, Update - Today is the mandatory weekly testing session for all students. Admission and students representing Prof. Roberts’ Innovation in Biology classes joined us. Tomorrow’s vaccination clinic will now provide Pfizer, rather than Moderna, vaccines, and the 2nd dose will now be administered on May 6. As of yesterday evening, we have 542 sign-ups, not including Sodexo and Olympus registrants. We discussed the operation and process for tomorrow as organized by Rite-Aid. We also discussed the need for a few more staff volunteers, who should reach out to Ellen Macionsky. Admission gave a preview of likely fall events and discussed last weekend’s ASD. We talked about general fall operational matters. Upcoming communications involve student check-out, commencements, new fiscal year business, and fall ’21 intentions. We will meet again tomorrow morning.

April 13, Update - As of this morning, 464 campus members registered for Thursday’s vaccination clinic. We will continue to encourage voluntary registration today and tomorrow. Today, the state opens up vaccine registration to all adults in the state. In yesterday’s testing session, we had 4 new positives among 489 total tests. We discussed yesterday’s Zoom Q&A and questions about the 2nd dose timeline. We will meet again tomorrow, which is also this week’s mandatory testing day for all students.

April 12 Update - We spent today’s meeting preparing for this Thursday’s vaccination clinic organized by Rite-Aid. A communication going out today will include a registration link and additional details, including information for possible volunteers. Today’s Zoom call with Dr. Van Aulen addressing any general vaccine questions occurs this afternoon at 2 p.m. The dashboard with last week’s results has been updated. Testing is occurring this morning as scheduled; the mandatory testing session for all students has been moved from Thursday to Wednesday to accommodate the clinic. A joint task force and vaccine working group meeting will happen tomorrow morning.

April 9, Update - No new, unique positives from the 1,081 student tests and 230 faculty/staff tests conducted yesterday in the field house. Today we talked about the ongoing conversations that Dean Bryant is having with the senior class about spring activities and possible events. We continue to explore vaccination opportunities for the campus community. A reminder to faculty/staff to complete the survey indicating your interest in vaccine registrations by Monday. Upcoming communications include updates on summer/fall planning for employees, student move-out instructions, possible vaccination developments, and commencement / Bear Necessities news. Have a safe weekend, Ursinus!

April 8, Update - The mandatory weekly testing session resumes today. Last night, Pres. Blomberg and Dean Bryant met with a group of students to discuss ASD and to clarify other covid-related developments. As a takeaway, we will also work to better explain some differences in the guidelines that exist for students, fac/staff and other members of the community. The Task Force will survey faculty and staff soon about ongoing interest in and receipt of vaccinations. We began discussing when and what a public opening of the Commons might look like in the summer. We are reviewing some Centennial Conference updates and are researching vaccine policies and changes that other colleges might implement for the fall semester. The Task Force meets again tomorrow.

April 7, Update - Last evening’s virtual ASD event went very well. We continue to work with State Rep. Webster’s office and Skippack Pharmacy about upcoming vaccine registration opportunities and will communicate more details soon. Beginning this week, students in Prof. Roberts’ will be working with college communications on a vaccination awareness campaign. Dean Missy Bryant and Pres. Blomberg will be meeting with about 25 students this evening to discuss activities and other covid-related matters. Assc. Dean McKinney joined today’s meeting to report on general student activity requests and upcoming on-campus events. Athletics updates and spring semester policies were reviewed during a Centennial Conference call yesterday. We will meet again tomorrow morning.

April 5, Update - Ursinus continues to work towards gaining access to an allocation of vaccine before the semester’s end. With the constantly shifting nature of the state’s vaccination program, it is unclear if this will be possible, but the Task Force continues advocate for Ursinus’ needs and to plan accordingly. We continue to encourage all members of our community interested in receiving the vaccine, including students who are part of the state’s phase 2 group, to use outside providers if available.

April 2, Update - There were only two new positives from 1,048 student tests and 206 faculty/staff tests administered on campus on Thursday, April 1. There is an additional round of testing today for student-athletes engaged in competition over the weekend. The Task Force discussed various options and next steps regarding its designated status by the state as a “vaccine provider” and more information will be shared as soon as it is available. The Task Force will next meet on Monday morning. Have a nice weekend, Bears!

April 1, Update - Today is the weekly mandatory testing session for students. We heard from the state that Ursinus, along with many other colleges, has been approved as a “vaccine provider.” We are learning more about what that means. We are also working to understand yesterday’s announcement by Gov. Wolf that 1B-eligible individuals can begin scheduling vaccinations on April 5, and that all state residents will be able to schedule vaccinations beginning April 19. A short campus message about this will be sent today from Dean Schneider, and a follow-up communication will be issued early next week. We reviewed yesterday’s message about Dining Dollars. We also spoke about possible volunteer internship opportunities with Skippack Pharmacy / State Rep. Joe Webster supporting vaccination planning. There are some questions about summer housing for students (and remote working) that we are exploring. Admission joined us again and we discussed last Saturday’s highly successful ASD.

March 29, Update - There was a very good turnout for Skippack Pharmacy’s off-campus Phase 1A vaccination clinic on Sunday. Skippack Pharmacy and the Office of Representative Joe Webster have reached to us with an internship opportunity for Ursinus students to help vaccination efforts in Montgomery County. They’d provide remote communication and logistical support. More information will be provided soon.

March 26, Update - Enrollment joined today’s meeting. IMPORTANT: For those who indicated interest in this weekend’s vaccine clinic, please use the latest link sent to you yesterday afternoon from wellness@ursinus.edu. We will see a large number of students leave quarantine / isolation this weekend. There were 3 new positives from 1,107 tests taken on-campus yesterday. We spoke about our confidence in the safety protocols and additional mitigation measures planned for ASD. The athletics website has been updated with this weekend’s schedules. We intend to restore in-person dining at 3 p.m. today in Upper/Lower Wismer and the café, and residence hall visitations this evening. We spoke about likely Main Street housing options for summer interns. We began discussions about possible summer events such as the traditional “Movies on the Lawn” series—more to come. Have a great Friday, Ursinus!

March 25, Update - Today is the regular testing day for all students. We finally have an update on the IBX reimbursement checks—those instructions will be emailed to faculty, staff and students soon! We were made aware of five new positives yesterday, four of whom were quarantining off campus. A total of 275 campus members completed the survey for this Sunday’s vaccine clinic. An email to students today will outline the process around Admitted Students Day and the high level of confidence we have in those plans. We spoke briefly about commencement, athletic camps and possible summer activities. The task force meets again tomorrow morning.

March 24, Update - The dashboard has been updated to reflect final numbers from last week. Mandatory testing continues tomorrow. We previewed this weekend’s athletic schedule and that status of each team. All Phase 1A eligible faculty, staff and students are encouraged to complete a survey for this Sunday’s vaccine clinic at North Penn H.S.; deadline is noon today. We also previewed Saturday’s Admitted Students Day and are preparing a communication to all students about the event; ASD is well-thought-out and closely adheres to all current guidelines. We continue to explore community partnerships and vaccination availability. We reviewed the current isolation and quarantine housing numbers, which are high. The task force convenes again tomorrow.

March 23, Update - The task force and the vaccine logistics working group held a joint meeting this morning. We encourage any current faculty, staff or student in the Phase 1A category to register online for the Ursinus list to receive scheduling notifications with Skippack Pharmacy’s vaccine clinic. Almost 180 people already completed that survey. There were 12 new positive results from yesterday’s special (and mandatory) testing session. We spoke about communicating to students the importance of contact tracing and how they can better support that process. Another targeted testing session is being considered for tomorrow. We meet again tomorrow when admission will join us.

March 22, Update - Today is a special mandatory testing day for all students. We had one new positive out of the 302 tests conducted in the field house on Friday, with three additional positives from wellness and 2 from off-campus. We are also aware of three new positives reported from off-campus on Sunday. A final dashboard update with last week’s totals is coming soon. There is a planned campus update today regarding vaccinations. There will be a joint vaccine working group / task force meeting tomorrow morning. Happy Monday, Bears!

March 19, Update - The task force discussed feedback from yesterday’s communication. We have a special testing session today for all student-athletes who are practicing today or tomorrow. An upcoming communication will address vaccinations and their possible impact on our current testing recommendations. We continue to work with community leaders about possible vaccination scenarios; we intend to issue a campus update early next week. The current estimate is that there were 24 new positives total on campus this week and another 2 who tested positive while quarantining off-campus; the dashboard should be updated tomorrow afternoon. We confirmed the outdoor teaching tents will be ready for use beginning next Monday. We continue to look into the IBX checks that some faculty members and staff have received - no resolution to share yet. Reminder that Monday will be a mandatory testing day for all students. Have a great weekend, Ursinus!

March 18, Update - Today is another full-day testing session. We recorded 11 new positives yesterday for a total of 16 prior to this morning. We reviewed our process and talked about several possible recommendations based on these results. We discussed using the field house, rather than the wellness office, for additional off-hour testing if needed. Centennial Conference athletic directors are meeting this morning to share updates. Yesterday, we met with State Rep. Webster’s office about ongoing vaccination partnerships throughout the area. A campus-wide update will be sent this afternoon providing key updates to students, faculty, and staff. The task force reconvenes tomorrow morning.

March 17, Update - We recorded five new positives from the first two days this week. We are closely monitoring the campus’s health with athletic competition set to begin Saturday. The vaccine working group met yesterday; conversations about possible vaccination options for the campus continue to take place with local leaders. Student affairs leaders from the Centennial Conference met yesterday to share general campus updates. Admission provided an update on Admitted Students Day on March 27—we are prepared and attendance is looking very good. In partnership with the county’s office of public health, we set up another meeting with area colleges to share experiences this Friday. The task force meets again tomorrow.

March 15, Update - Today is the Monday testing session. The dashboard was updated again this past weekend. We anticipate two upcoming communications early this week: a vaccination planning update and a general update involving athletics, testing, and other campus developments. We spoke about the expectations around the fall semester residential and in-person learning experience. The vaccine planning working group meets this afternoon. Have a great day, Ursinus!

March 12, Update - There were an estimated 1,241 tests completed this week, with two likely positives. We confirmed that any member of the campus community who has received one or two vaccine doses should continue to get tested as before and will revisit this as needed. We discussed upcoming communications about athletics and a general campus update. A college-wide decision about summer camps should come within the next few days; any camps would begin after Commencement. Campus tents should be up and available for use beginning March 22. We hope to provide an update on possible vaccination scenarios within the next few days. Have a great weekend, Ursinus!

March 11, Update - Today is the weekly student testing session. We continue to engage in positive discussions with State Rep. Webster’s office about vaccinations and hope to be able to share updates soon. We continue to discuss matters related to on-campus intercollegiate activity, particularly a possible track and field year-end meet. A vaccine communications working group continues to lay the groundwork for an information campaign, should it become necessary. We will meet again tomorrow morning and intend to update the dashboard by Friday afternoon.

March 10, Update - We discussed a proposal for one late spring event along with the challenges, opportunities, and potential for moving forward. We reviewed the draft of the student activity guidelines and plan for its rollout. The fine points will be reviewed later in the week. On the vaccine front, we will have more conversations about vaccines with local elected officials today, and were informed that the temperature logging hardware had arrived for vaccine storage. These are additional steps toward our goal of hopefully being a vaccine distribution site. We discussed a few employee searches including for the Berman Museum’s director position, that are happening now and later in the spring for which we will prepare virus safety protocols and guidance.” team is meeting; the task force meets again Wednesday.

March 8, Update - Today is the first Monday testing session. The dashboard was updated on Friday afternoon. We continued discussing the benefits of summer athletic camps and the possibility of holding them. We are working with the Centennial Conference to better understand testing expectations for student-athletes. We discussed feedback from Friday’s campus announcement. We are updating several Bears Return pages, including employee testing: We recommend faculty and staff who are on campus a minimum of 4 hours per week to get tested at least every other week, either during the Monday on-campus testing session, through the LapCorp pixel tests, or whichever other way is most convenient for them. Tomorrow morning the vaccine “logistics” team is meeting; the task force meets again Wednesday.

March 5, Update - There was one positive result from an estimated 1,297 tests this week. The dashboard is being updated. We continued to discuss several possible scenarios for fall semester planning and discussed in detail a new on-campus activity planning document, which will be available next week. This afternoon we are sending a communication about spring intercollegiate competition along with a change in the weekly testing schedule; Wednesday’s tests are being moved to Mondays. We continue discussing the possibility of on-campus summer camps; there is significant interest from the community. The office of college events and signature programs joined us to review room capacity restrictions, and we met with Prof. Roberts and discussed ways to engage students from her Innovations in Biology class in upcoming plans. We meet again Monday. Have a great weekend, everyone!

March 4, Update - A full day of testing resumes this morning. We had zero positive test results from yesterday. We had a good discussion with State Rep. Webster’s office about several possible vaccination options for Ursinus, as well as the approval of the new J&J vaccine; no specific details to share at this time. We also spoke with the county’s office of public health about their interest in possibly using our facilities for a summer vaccination program. We intend to update the campus tomorrow about spring athletics and a change in the testing schedule; more to come. As an FYI: the New York Times continues to track coronavirus cases on its website, which was updated this week. The task force meets again tomorrow.

March 3, Update - Today is Break Day for all students and testing is open for the Wednesday morning session in the field house. A vaccine working group met yesterday to explore four different potential paths for Ursinus; more to come. We have two separate meetings with an elected official and a county official to discuss our Closed POD status today. We continue to plan for several spring athletic scenarios and are finalizing the proposed student organization activity form. Very preliminary discussions about possible fall semester mitigation and compliance measures continued. Admission provided updates on key in-person events: last weekend’s successful biology academic day saw a 100% turnout, while this weekend’s three academic days are looking good as well. Last evening’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Variants webinar, hosted by the Parlee Center, was well attended and recorded for future use.

March 1, Update - We are exploring several on-site testing options for Olympus employees. We updated the new activity request form for student organizations. and spoke about supporting this Wednesday’s Break Day. We talked about several upcoming campus communications, including an update to the testing schedule. Our confidence in the recent antigen test results remains high; we recorded no student positive results over the past two weeks. We continue to aggressively prepare for the potential outcomes of any Centennial Conference decision on spring athletics. Our vaccine working groups (operations and communications) continue their planning should any changes to the status of our Closed POD application occur. We confirmed that we are on schedule to have outdoor tent space before the end of March. One of the vaccine working groups meet tomorrow; the task force convenes again on Wednesday.

February 26, Update - We completed 1,269 antigen tests this week, with only one faculty/staff member testing positive (which was confirmed with a PCR test). We are planning a few different test scheduling options for student-athletes should the Centennial Conference ultimately allow for spring competition. Student affairs is developing a proposal template for student activities, should we be able to accommodate them later this spring. We discussed possible summer intern housing. We spoke about how to engage students across campus in helping with any possible on-campus vaccination effort. We are looking into checks from IBX that a few faculty and staff have received to cover the “out-of-network” pre-Thanksgiving tests; more details to come. We confirmed that faculty/staff on campus more than four hours every week should continue to be tested regularly on campus, through the LabCorp pixel test or whichever test is most convenient. We meet again Monday. Have a great weekend, everyone!

February 24, Update - Today’s testing started well. We continue to pull together two small teams to 1) coordinate all logistical and operational concerns related to a potential vaccine program, and 2) how to communicate vaccination information to the campus. The latter group first met on Tuesday and discussed how to promote attendance at the March 2 Parlee Center webinar titled, “COVID-19: Vaccines and Variants.” The task force spoke about student activities and how to address potential requests as we head into the spring. The Centennial Conference presidents meet next week to finalize their plans for spring athletics. Admission gave an update on this weekend’s biology academic day, and next weekend’s B&E, MCS and chemistry academic days. There has been a great response and all events are at (or will be soon at) capacity. We meet again on Friday.

February 22, Update - We had zero positive test results last week and the dashboard was updated with those results on Saturday. The Centennial Conference presidents meet today to continue discussing spring athletics. A communication about the upcoming housing lottery will go out this afternoon, as well as a follow-up email to students commuting due to COVID. Testing occurs again Wed. morning for those with fac/staff and those with extenuating circumstances, and Thursday all day for the entire student body. We tentatively plan to meet again on Wednesday.

February 19, Update - Testing continues today. We updated the faculty/staff Defend the Den page with a list of the college’s COVID workplace coordinators. We discussed potential residential guidelines for students interested in conducting research on campus this summer; no decisions have been made and that conversation will continue. We discussed the process supporting the upcoming senior portraits. We spoke about summer inquiries and external interest of athletic facility rentals. We will meet again on Monday. Have a great weekend!

February 18, Update - A reminder that testing has been rescheduled for tomorrow due to weather. Yesterday’s shorter session saw no positives among the 69 students and 118 faculty/staff tested. We reviewed the current quarantine and isolation situation on campus—that has decreased significantly. A small team charged with creating a vaccination awareness campaign will first meet on Monday. Centennial Conference presidents meet next week again to discuss spring athletics. We meet again tomorrow.

February 17, Update — Thursday testing has been moved to Friday due to expected inclement weather. Our Wednesday testing operation started smoothly today. We are outfitting Lower Wismer with plexiglass dividers for take-out seating and lounging. We are also helping the café with its physically distancing measures. A smaller team charged with putting together a vaccination “awareness campaign” will be meeting soon. A message about tomorrow’s Break Day was sent to the campus this morning. Planning for the upcoming March 16 admission Academic Day with Business and Economics was discussed. We talked about yesterday’s BLT session and what other information we’ll need to share in the near future. Our next meeting is tomorrow morning.

February 16, Update —Today is the BLT for faculty and staff. We continue to monitor the athletics landscape; spring practices and strength workouts are beginning for student-athletes. We are reaching out to local elected officials to discuss our “closed POD” application status. We discussed the upcoming break day and the importance of supporting our students during this down time. Early planning for in-person commencement was discussed. Testing resumes tomorrow morning, with the Wednesday appointment slots primarily for faculty and staff. Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

February 15, Update - Last Friday’s testing went well, with all students being tested on one day. All of the students returning over the weekend after completing quarantine tested negative. One of the students who was quarantining at home has tested positive and moved to isolating at home. This week marks the move to Thursday only testing for students. faculty and staff, as well as students without Thursday availability can be tested by appointment on Wednesday mornings. Today is the start of limited in-person dining, field house access, and resident students being permitted to visit other residence halls. Also, this week some athletic teams will resume practice and volleyball intramurals will begin. We hope to phase-in more intramural options for students. The BLT for faculty and staff is tomorrow. Please register and submit your questions through the links in the calendar listing.

February 12, Update —Today is the extra testing session in the fieldhouse. The dashboard was updated yesterday to reflect 7 new, unique positives from this week’s earlier tests; contact tracing is complete. Six of those 7 positives were from students just leaving quarantine. More than 270 people joined yesterday’s student/parent town hall, which was recorded and will be posted to the Defend the Den pages later today. We confirmed more details about on-campus senior portraits happening in the next few weeks. We continued a conversation around the possibility of external student intern housing this summer, depending on such things as the health of campus and access to testing. We continue to evaluate vaccination matters and had a conversation with our insurance broker yesterday. A communication being sent later today will announce a change in weekly testing from Mondays/Tuesdays to Thursdays—see email for more details. Have a great weekend!

July 27, Update – The task force is in final discussions with potential testing partners, and the resulting process for pre-semester and in-semester testing procedures will likely be communicated in the next few days. We are looking at personnel who can manage the scheduling, coordination and overall internal logistics of the process. We will also finalize the official faculty/staff “return-to-work” guidelines in the coming days and post them to the Bears Return page.

July 24, Update – The task force took steps towards an updated color alert system. It will accompany a new dashboard that will indicate progress on several key measures including testing results. We are meeting again this afternoon with medical firms on testing procedures and logistics. The task force also reviewed a comprehensive extra-curricular / student activity plan that focuses on the students’ on-campus residential experience. We also provided final edits to our employee return-to-work guidelines document.

July 22, Update – We spoke about the process around testing and having internal “case managers” help coordinate and organize this important function. The college is speaking with vendors and other partners about how they intend to regularly test their employees as well. We have decided to postpone Thursday’s athletics town hall until we receive further guidance from the NCAA, and we have begun finalizing a self-isolation process for those students coming from “hotspots.”

July 20, Update - We’ve had a very good response rate on the student questionnaire we sent last week, asking for their housing and learning intentions. We also are in new conversations with several potential partners on testing, in addition to Quest and LabCorp, so that we may routinely and quickly conduct testing throughout the semester. Last, we are preparing for 3 important sessions: this week’s BLT, and the upcoming athletics and student affairs virtual town halls.

July 17, Update - The task force is close of detailing a comprehensive approach to manage testing of students, faculty and staff this semester. We are reviewing Governor Wolf’s new mitigation order that began July 15, and are studying any new implications for our campus. A student survey on housing and remote learning intentions was sent this morning, and other communications–including a new series of re-envisioned weekly BLTs–will roll-out next week. Last, we continue to address, as quickly as possible, dozens of questions submitted each week and post new and updated answers on the Bears Return pages.

July 16, Update - The Task Force continues to review questions surrounding reopening this fall and discussed the process for students choosing a remote option and how that information will be communicated.

July 13, Update - The Task Force continues to discuss testing and is preparing its final health and safety guidelines document. It has also discussed the requests for use of our facilities, as well as recent state Department of Health quarantine recommendations.

July 10, Update - The Task Force continues to review testing options and is also working on a guidance document for faculty and staff parallel to the recently released one for students. They were joined by theater, dance and music faculty to discuss class and performance spaces for the fall semester. Two town halls were held this week for students and their families. Over the next few days, the FAQ pages are being updated with answers to many of the questions and the recordings will be posted to the web next week.

July 7, Update - Task Force Update -Preparations are being made for town halls this week for new and returning students, and a draft of student guidelines was shared with families in an email sent on July 6.

June 22, Update – At 12:30 p.m. today, President Blomberg shared an update regarding the upcoming fiscal year. Please check your email for this important message.

June 19, Update – The college will announce decisions about our new fiscal year budget on Monday, June 22, followed by an email that shares our fall semester re-opening plans on Wednesday, June 24. We are fine-tuning the Ursinus-specific “phases” that provide additional clarity around our guidelines, particularly those for visitors and external audiences. We are moving quickly to implement a streamlined testing process.

June 18, Update – Plans regarding the college’s re-opening were shared with trustees at yesterday’s business meeting. That announcement, along with anticipated budgetary changes for FY21, are being finalized. A new COVID-19 landing page has been created to share audience-specific information, including re-opening guidelines. Student Affairs continues to make progress with “move-in,” and we continue to work towards a comprehensive testing plan for all campus members that kicks-in prior to their official return to Ursinus.

June 17, Update – The taskforce is working on two key communications for the next few days: plans for the college’s re-opening and anticipated institutional changes for FY21 as a result of the pandemic. Student Affairs has drafted a comprehensive “move-in” plan for students that will be communicated begin in early July. We are fine-tuning a process that allows all students, faculty and staff to be tested prior to their arrival on campus. We are investigating ways to install outdoor tents for academic and co-curricular activities. And we are working with Olympus on expanded clearing and janitorial plans.

June 10, Update – The taskforce is collecting final feedback from faculty about potential options for the fall semester. We also spoke staffing and preparing the Wellness Center as effectively as possible for the fall. We continue to investigate proposals from Quest and LabCorp about testing. We are working with facilities on an inventory of our buildings to promote social distancing measures. And we thank Collegeville Mayor Aidsand Wright-Riggings for his video messaging promoting LIVE! on Main, our new virtual event series!

June 8, Update – The taskforce is making progress on return-to-work guidelines for faculty, staff and students. Those guidelines will live on a webpage and as documents. A preliminary “phased” approach for the re-opening has been drafted that outlines key dates and addresses important questions. We discussed the different measures that facilities may undertake in buildings to promote social distancing. Last, a series of questions is being sent to Montgomery County colleges to encourage discussion and offer “best practices” in the region. June 5 Update – As the country transitions to the “yellow phase,” most Ursinus employees are asked to continue to work remotely. We continue to make progress on the re-opening strategy, which aligns closely with June 3’s preliminary re-opening guidelines announced by the PA Department of Education. We reviewed ongoing cleaning operations, ideas around a travel policy and upcoming communications.