VPSL Bark Column March 15, 2021

Happy Monday, Students!

Next week is our second mini-break of the semester. With some fine spring weather on the horizon, I know that it might be tempting to travel. However, it is important that all students do their part to keep our campus bubble intact. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the Oregon Health Authority continue to advise against non-essential travel, due to the health risks associated with such travel.

Residential students can only travel off-campus for essential trips, college-sponsored activities (e.g., College Outdoors trips offered over the minibreak), and for other activities which have been pre-approved. Students living off-campus are highly discouraged from non-essential travel. Off-campus students who must travel by plane or rail should be in touch with Ami Hanna, Wellness Services Contact Tracer and Case Manager prior to departure for guidance about the safest ways to travel and return to in-person classes.

On the COVID front, the community continues to show exemplary discipline, with corresponding results:

• COVID-19 cases: At last week’s COVID testing clinics, we tested 345 members of our community, a mix of students, faculty, and staff. Just one student tested positive, and that student was supported into isolation. Per our protocols, contact tracing was completed quickly, and no close contacts were identified. For the month of March, of the 848 tests conducted on campus, this was the only positive test.
  

• Effluent testing results: Residence Hall effluent testing results for last week were delayed to testing equipment malfunctions. The dashboard will be updated once the equipment has been restored.
  

Stay healthy, take care of yourselves, and as always, WeB4Me@LC.

Sincerely,

Robin H. Holmes-Sullivan
Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students