Dear Concordia students, faculty, and staff,
God’s peace to each of you on this Veterans Day. Normally this would be an active day on campus as we would welcome veterans to our campus, honoring and thanking them for their selfless service to our country. This year is different (there is also not a foot of snow on the ground like last year!). Please still take the time to thank and pray for a veteran today; it may be a family member or close friend, but I encourage you to take that extra step on this important day.
Certainly these are challenging times. Please know that we are committed to communicating critical information with you often and transparently. In that spirit, I will begin sending these “Quick campus COVID update” notes about 2-3x/week as we conclude this Fall semester and undoubtedly into the Spring.
Throughout most of this Fall semester, we have had a remarkably low number of COVID positive active cases. That changed the middle of last week, as we experienced a significant spike in cases and in the number of those needing to be quarantined. We have no evidence that any of those positive cases have resulted from exposure to COVID in a Concordia classroom or laboratory. Rather, there is some evidence of a few off campus student parties and social gatherings that may have added to our COVID numbers.
I encourage you to be in prayer for those affected and to continue supporting and caring for one another as Concordia Cardinals always do.
COVID by the numbers - 11.11.20
- 44 positive active cases connected to our campus community (this number is updated each morning on our website)
- NO students who have tested positive are in our residence halls
- 152 students are in quarantine; of that total number, the vast majority (136) are quarantining off campus either at home or in their off campus living situation
Did you know?
- YOU have access to free 24/7 Telehealth for students! If you have not signed up for this free service, please go to cuaa.health and sign up today.
- We work closely with the Washtenaw County Health Department in the mitigation of COVID spread on our campus and in our community. We are in regular communication with this important department.
- Gracie Mazie, our visiting Comfort Dog, usually comes to campus every Wednesday. Unfortunately, she won’t be coming back this semester due to the rise of COVID cases on campus in the local community. We are hopeful that she will return for the Spring semester!
- On Thursday, November 12, there will be a basketball game in our fieldhouse that will be broadcast on ESPN2 (at 8:30pm). This is a closed event; no one is given access to our fieldhouse or campus without proper credentials, which includes COVID screening and documentation. We have already hosted athletic competitions this year; this particular event will not have any impact on you as our students.
Next steps
- Continue to complete the Daily Symptom tracker honestly. Stay masked. Remain 6 ft apart. Wash your hands!
- For residential students: our plan remains to stay in person until Thanksgiving, after which residential students will have the option to return to their residence halls or finish the semester completely online.
You are in my prayers. I am grateful and humbled to be on this journey with you.
Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson
Vice President of Administration
Office of the President