Abby Van Vlerah, vice president of student life, sent an email to Manchester University students Aug. 5, updating the COVID-19 policy.
These are excerpts. Please see her email for more information.
We want you to come back to a vibrant college experience in which you can engage fully in the life of the University and with each other. Whether we can do that successfully, however, depends on everyone doing their part and caring about the health and safety of others at Manchester.
While we have a plan for the fall, the Delta variant is spreading nationwide, particularly in areas where not enough people have been vaccinated. We may need to further adjust our plan, depending on state and local levels of COVID-19 and/or our campus-wide vaccination rate. The best way to have a normal college experience is for everyone who can to get vaccinated!
Masks required
Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are requiring masks for everyone, regardless of your vaccination status, except when you are outdoors, in your own residence hall room or while you are eating.
In-Person Coursework
Courses will return to primarily in-person sessions. While there may be some limited online learning, faculty will not be required to provide virtual sessions for students in quarantine, isolation or missing class for any reason. If you miss class for any health-related reason (including COVID-19 quarantine or isolation), you will need to work directly with faculty to make up any missed work. This is another great reason to be vaccinated!
Events and Social Distancing
Our goal is to return to college as college should be. Students will be allowed to gather in residence hall rooms, clubs and organizations can meet in person, and all campus spaces will be back to full capacity. We want you to engage with your fellow Spartans and the safest way to do that is through the vaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccines
The vaccines are safe, free and widely available. They also are our way out of this pandemic and a return to normal. The vaccines are highly effective at protecting you from serious illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. Nationwide, the unvaccinated account for nearly all of the people being hospitalized for the virus.
North Manchester on-campus vaccination clinics will be available on Aug. 24 and 31 from 10 a.m. to noon. Please use the links below to register for the clinics.
If you have already been vaccinated – thank you! Please send a copy of your vaccine card to
healthservices@manchester.edu. The University will maintain this information as we do other vaccination records.