Dear Campus Community,
We hope you are enjoying the start of the summer! The Bring Huskies Home team would like to update everyone on the recent changes to some important campus safety conditions and requirements. We appreciate your patience as we review guidelines and determine safety protocols for our campus community.
Masking will not be required for those who are fully vaccinated while on campus, with the exception of posted facilities such as the Medical Clinic effective May 28. The definition of fully vaccinated is two weeks following the second Pfizer or Moderna dose or two weeks after the single Johnson & Johnson dose.
We know that wearing masks is an effective way to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and therefore it is strongly encouraged that those who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask indoors. The Governor’s Order, the CDC, and other public health experts continue to highlight the associated risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, and we ask our campus community to continue to do their part to protect the pack.
While the mandate has ended, anyone who chooses to wear a mask should be supported for their decision to mask up. There are many reasons for an individual to choose to wear a mask. Masks are likely to be a part of our routine for some time as we manage the stages of the pandemic and make choices to protect ourselves and others against the virus and contagions like the flu or common cold.
Space capacity limits and physical distancing requirements will remain in effect until May 28 based on the Governor’s recent announcements and MDH guidelines. This will include residence halls, recreation facilities, classrooms, meeting rooms, research laboratories and all other spaces. We will provide an update to the campus community on changing capacity and physical distancing requirements and ask that we all continue to be mindful of how to keep ourselves and others safe while on campus.
The system office will require weekly reporting for the COVID-19 Dashboard into the summer. However, beginning with the reports due the week of May 31, St. Cloud State will not be required to report on On-campus Dedicated Isolation and Quarantine Capacity and Utilization. Please continue to monitor emails and the Bring Huskies Home website for updates on the status of the dashboard reporting requirements.
The color-coding of campus safety/scenario levels is no longer required and has been removed from the Bring Huskies Home website. In addition to these edits, the Bring Huskies Home website is under revision with a focus on fall planning with updates on The Full Husky Experience, Fall 2021.
As of May 23, the Self-Assessment tool is no longer required for students, faculty, staff and visitors to access campus facilities. Signs will be in place with reminders to stay home when symptomatic or feeling ill.
We will continue with hosting Town Halls this summer to keep our campus community updated on changing conditions and plans for the fall. A follow-up reminder and Zoom link will be shared for the next meeting scheduled at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 2.
Campus Signs
This week we are transitioning campus to the new safety protocols with a refreshed set of signs and posters. Signs reflecting new safety protocols will be replacing current/outdated signs across campus as we move into the month of June.
Please continue to take public health precautions to protect yourself and the pack. While the increasing vaccination rates and the slowing pace of COVID-19 infections in the region are promising, the pandemic continues. Please continue to be cautious and practice handwashing, physical distancing (as appropriate), and stay home if you are feeling ill. We strongly encourage all members of our campus community to get vaccinated as it is the best way to minimize the risk of contracting the virus.
Thank you for all that you do to protect the pack and Go Huskies!
Bring Huskies Home Team
Dr. Dan Gregory
Dr. Kathryn Kloby
Dr. Brent Nielsen
Clare Rahm
Tressa Ries
Jenn Furan Super
Dr. Jason Woods
President Robbyn Wacker
[May 24, 2021]
Dear Campus Community,
Beginning May 23, completing the Self-Assessment tool will not be required for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to access campus facilities. Signs will be available with reminders to stay home when symptomatic or feeling ill. We ask that university employees remove signs and QR codes promoting or linking to the Self-Assessment tool in immediate work areas/offices.
In addition, we have received guidance from the Minnesota State System Office to remove Color-Coded Campus Safety Levels from our university website immediately. We thank you for following our safety status updates and helping to protect the pack.
As safety protocols and recommendations are evolving, please continue to monitor your email and the campus website for updates from The Bring Huskies Home (BHH) team. We are processing incoming guidelines and will be messaging the campus community and updating the BHH website beginning next week.
Go Huskies!
Bring Huskies Home Team
Dr. Dan Gregory
Dr. Kathryn Kloby
Jen Matzke
Dr. Brent Nielsen
Clare Rahm
Tressa Ries
Jenn Furan Super
Dr. Jason Woods
President Robbyn Wacker
Dear Campus Community,
St. Cloud State University is continuously monitoring COVID-19 conditions on campus and in the region. We are adjusting our campus safety level from Scenario 3 – Orange, to Scenario 2 – Yellow.
The transition to Scenario 2 is based on the following criteria:
What does this mean for campus operations?
The Bring Huskies Home Team is working across offices and divisions to address the following:
Our shift in the campus safety scenario is an encouraging milestone. To continue with this positive momentum we ask that all of our Huskies continue to follow our Protect the Pack safety protocols. More information on available testing, vaccinations, and spring break safety guidelines will follow with campus communications, updates, and the President’s Town Hall. Please monitor emails and the Bring Huskies Home Website for more information.
Thank you for all that you do to protect the pack. Go Huskies!
Dear Campus Community,
We are pleased to begin Spring Semester with a renewed sense of optimism for 2021! Governor Walz adjusted the COVID dial, with businesses, restaurants, and other establishments and functions preparing to reopen at a reduced capacity (beginning Monday, Jan. 11). The number of COVID-19 cases are on the decline and local health care providers are working to address cases. While these are all positive signs, we are moving forward with caution as we begin the Spring 2021 semester.
Beginning Jan. 11, we will adjust our campus safety level from Scenario 4-Deep Orange to Scenario 3-Orange. Scenario 3-Orange is a safety level that requires continued vigilance and follow through with COVID-19 safety protocols to: wear a mask, maintain 6 feet of physical distancing, wash your hands, and stay home when sick. Please continue to complete the daily self-assessment.
Members of our campus community may have traveled or visited loved ones over Winter Break. We ask that employees and students ‘lay low’ for the next two weeks by reducing the amount of contact with others. Activities such as attending in-person classes, small group meetings with social distancing, and participating in individual physical activities are appropriate. We will continue to encourage virtual events in lieu of social gatherings. Students can find information on campus events by visiting Huskies Connect.
In consultation with MDH and Minnesota State, we will continue to lay low for the first two weeks of Spring Semester through Sunday, Jan. 24.
Highlighted below are some ‘lay low’ operations effective through Jan. 24. We will continue to update the campus community with future changes:
Operations not impacted:
To protect the pack, we recommend COVID testing for students and employees returning to campus after travel and holiday gatherings. On-campus testing events are scheduled on Jan. 12 and Jan. 21. Off-campus testing is also available at River’s Edge Convention Center and other area locations.
We thank you for helping us to Protect the Pack.
Go Huskies!
Bring Huskies Home Team
Dr. Dan Gregory
Dr. Kathryn Kloby
Dr. Brent Nielsen
Clare Rahm
Tressa Ries
Jenn Furan Super
Dr. Jason Woods
President Robbyn Wacker
Dear Campus Community,
This week illustrates the ever-changing conditions presented by COVID-19. It began with a call to action for Minnesotans to mitigate an accelerated rate of community spread of COVID cases in our state and across the country. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020, we emailed our campus community announcing a heightened level of campus safety — moving from the safety level of Scenario 2-Yellow to Scenario 3-Orange. We asked students and staff to hunker down and not travel for Thanksgiving and made arrangements for our on-campus students to stay in their residence hall over the Thanksgiving break.
We held a campus wide testing event to Know B4 You Go or Gather, coming together as a community to distribute and oversee the administration of more than 600 saliva tests. This was an amazing effort that was quickly planned and implemented as a result of our communication and coordination with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
Later that evening, we heard from Gov. Tim Walz as he introduced Executive Order 20-99 — a strategy to “dial-back” on social gatherings, and restrict services in bars and restaurants, and fitness facilities and gyms for four weeks.
At this time, St. Cloud State University’s operations are aligned with statewide efforts to dial back on certain activities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Our campus will remain open, and draw on MDH guidelines that were introduced to institutions of higher education on Nov. 18, 2020. Colleges and universities will be operating at the newly introduced Scenario 4 safety level for the “dial back” period of the executive order.
In accordance with Executive Order 20-99, and in consultation with MDH and Minnesota State, we will lay low for the four week period beginning Friday, Nov. 20 at 11:59 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m.
Highlighted below are some changes to campus operations effective Friday, Nov. 20 at 11:59 p.m. We will continue to update the campus community with future changes:
Operations not impacted
Academic Instruction
As we mitigate the spread of COVID-19, please continue to monitor your email for updates. The Bring Huskies Home website is being revised with immediate and archived access to campus alerts and other important information.
We thank you for your patience and continued support as we all work together to protect the pack.
Go Huskies!
The Bring Huskies Home Team
Dr. Dan Gregory
Dr. Kathryn Kloby
Dr. Brent Nielsen
Clare Rahm
Tressa Ries
Jenn Furan Super
Dr. Jason Woods
President Robbyn Wacker
On October 16th a campus wide email by the Bring Huskies Home team notified the university community of increasing COVID-19 cases in surrounding counties. We made the decision to move to our campus safety level from Scenario 1- Green to Scenario 2- Yellow.
Throughout this semester our campus community has done an incredible job adjusting to serving our students and keeping our campus community safe. Our campus operations and classrooms continue to be safe places to work and learn. The spread of the virus has been community based, with a disproportionately higher rate a spread by individuals who are 18-35, and is usually associated with not adhering to social distancing and masking guidelines when people are gathering in their homes or in the community.
Unfortunately, the rate of infection continues to increase in the last 7 days. Our hospitals and medical providers are particularly hard hit with this recent surge. Area schools are addressing capacity concerns and the rate of infection with shifts in remote and distance learning formats.
Given the alarming increase in the number of community COVID cases, we are now moving our campus safety level to Scenario 3 – Orange.
Moving to the Orange level will bring the following changes to our campus operations as follows:
We will follow up with more details once we understand any of the additional changes that the governor intends to make.
Please continue to reach out to our students to let them know we are here to help them. Help each other as we weather what seems to be one of many COVID storms. Please continue to monitor the Bring Huskies Home website for the latest news and information – efforts are underway to streamline and refresh information.
Thank you for all you do on behalf of SCSU and our students.
[November 18, 2020]
Traveling home over Thanksgiving means you might bring COVID-19 home with you. You can bring COVID-19 home from an exposure you had before you left or while traveling.
Traveling
Arrival
Coming back to campus
Other Resources:
[November 13, 2020]
Dear Huskies,
This week’s COVID-19 Dashboard results show that the number of positive cases among SCSU students and employees are holding steady. However, this does not refelct the COVID-19 conditions in area communities and neighboring states.
As you review the dashboard – please note that our campus safety level is updated from green to yellow. This is not a change related to an increasing rate of COVID-19 cases in our campus community. This is a precautionary measure in response to increasing cases in area communities.
Why the change campus safety level?
Each color in the levels of campus safety involves careful consideration for things like the rate of transmission on campus, indicators that can impact this rate, and our response. There are two indicators that are leading us to be cautious and to change our campus safety level.
First, infections continue to increase in nearby counties. Second, the number of cases in area elementary and secondary schools are increasing. In both instances, cases have increased in the last 14 days. We are carefully monitoring our campus conditions and our area communities with the assistance of public health officials. This virus spreads quickly and ignores boundaries such as counties and states, our schools, facilities that house and care for the vulnerable and our homes. If the cases of the virus increase around us, we must be more careful on and off campus …and as a pack.
What does this mean for campus?
Campus actions in response to a change in safety status may include adjustments to campus operations, course delivery modes, engagement and access to facilities. As we are monitoring area community conditions, campus operations, classes, and activities will be conducted as planned. All classes and events will continue as scheduled.
We ask that everyone carry on with our current safety expectations and planning requirements. Please follow through with safety protocols and habits at events and during everyday activities on and off campus.
What does this mean for each Husky?
Huskies should continue to protect themselves and the pack with an even higher degree of diligence. This includes completing the daily self-assessment, wearing a mask, staying two huskies apart, washing hands frequently and staying home when feeling ill. Social gatherings should be in small groups. We ask that Huskies Lay Low. More importantly, please make these habits part of your daily routine, on and off campus.
If you test positive for COVID-19, or come into close contact with the virus, or may even have been on campus while contagious, we strongly suggest that you disclose this information on our newly available Self Report Tool. This will help with determining and mitigating risk.
In closing, we want to emphasize again, that this decision is not based on our campus community. We continue to do a great job minimizing our cases. Thanks to everyone for protecting the pack.
Go Huskies!
Bring Huskies Home Team
[October 16, 2020]
Dear Huskies,
We would like to update you on some evolving campus conditions related to COVID-19.
As you might have reviewed the SCSU COVID-19 Dashboard, the reporting period ending on Wednesday, September 16th showed seven student cases with a positive COVID-19 test result reported to the university by public health officials or the student. By the close of this week, however, we are detecting an increase of cases that is concerning.
Listed below are key events and actions that we would like to share with the campus community to keep everyone informed of COVID-19 conditions and ongoing measures to mitigate the risk of exposure:
The results of contact tracing are revealing some important pieces of information. First, off-campus social gatherings appear to be the point at which students came into close contact with a person infected with COVID-19. Second, classroom settings, where masks are worn and social distancing is practiced, are not considered a high-risk area for infection.
We are closely monitoring the condition of our campus safety. We ask that students and employees continue with an increased level of diligence to wear a mask, wash hands frequently, practice physical distancing, stay home when feeling ill, and avoid gatherings with more than 10 people -- our Huskies should lay low. Continue to complete the self-assessment before coming to campus or daily if you reside on campus.
At this moment, our level of campus safety remains at green. We will, however, alert the campus community with any changes in status.
Thank you for continuing to do what you can to Protect the Pack.
We will be back in touch next week.
Bring Huskies Home Team
[September 19, 2020]
Husky Nation,
We are pleased to share that Minnesota State published a COVID-19 Dashboard. In addition, St. Cloud State's Bring Huskies Home website is updated with dashboard highlights, campus safety information and other resources. This information will be updated on a weekly basis. View our campus data via Bring Huskies Home or link directly to information provided by the Minnesota State COVID-19 Dashboard.
Important links/information:
Thank you for staying informed and doing your part to protect the pack.
Go Huskies!
[September 11, 2020]
Huskies,
The SCSU Medical Clinic is excited to welcome you as you return to campus; in person or remotely. Although this year will be different from what we all hoped for, we will do our best to find ways to engage while maintaining necessary safety measures to keep COVID-19 at bay. Here are some things you need to know...
The top 5 things to Protect the Pack:
Unpacking?
Watch this quick video from our
Protect The Pack: Roommate Edition
for important conversation starters with roommates.
What is the Husky Lay Low?
The Medical Clinic at St. Cloud State is encouraging you to “lay low” and avoid large social gatherings, especially for the next two weeks.
“Lay low” means to avoid large social gatherings where physical distancing or masks are not being utilized.
The first two weeks of the semester will be a critical period because people will be returning from many different areas. As COVID-19 symptoms generally develop within 14 days, this initial “lay low” period is essential. Please minimize your in-person social activities as much as possible.
Huskies Connect is your source for virtual and in-person campus events. We follow COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
Although we will do everything we can to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, we have to assume at some point there will be positive cases of COVID-19 on our campus. In addition, there will be people without obvious symptoms who could spread COVID-19. Therefore it is crucial for everyone to be masking, physical distancing, and handwashing. Together, we can make this work.
Not feeling well?
If you are not feeling well, please stay home, and do the following:
Important Contact Information
Medical Clinic
In-person and Telehealth appointments available
Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM.
Call: 320-308-3191 or secure message: myhealthservices.stcloudstate.edu
After-hours/weekends, CentraCare:
Call: 320-200-3200 or CentraCare e-Clinic
SCSU COVID-19 Information Line
Available to answer your non-health questions related to COVID-19 at St. Cloud State
Call: 320-308-1588 or email: sld@stcloudstate.edu
CONNECT WITH US!
We’re here for you.
Facebook @HealthyHuskiesSCSU
Instagram @HealthyHuskiesSCSU
[August 20, 2020]