App Strong. App Resilient.

The university remains open, with emergency management protocols activated and operational modifications and precautions in place. App State faculty and staff continue working steadily, in accordance with UNC System expectations and our educational mission, to assess and adjust every aspect of the Appalachian Experience to keep health and safety at the forefront. 

Vigilance is critical. Students, faculty and staff continue to rise to the challenge by following the 3Ws (Wear, Wait, Wash) and campus safety protocols, but we must remain focused and committed to these simple and effective actions. Face coverings continue to be required for students, faculty and staff when on campus. Together, we can continue to be strong and resilient.

Please be sure to carefully and regularly review messages from App State as the university continues to carefully monitor and respond to the latest COVID-19 circumstances.

Latest News

COVID-19 vaccines update

On Feb. 10, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina will gradually begin vaccinating Group 3 on Feb. 24, starting with anyone working in child care or in PreK-12 schools — review the Deeper Dive PDF for eligibility information and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ (NCDHHS) Interim Essential Industry Employer Guidance for Vaccinating North Carolinians PDF for more information.

• On March 10, Group 3 frontline essential workers will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. College and university faculty and staff who are working in-person at their work site are included in this group.

• Groups 1 and 2 will continue to be vaccinated and will have priority; therefore, because of limited vaccine supply, Group 3 frontline essential workers may still need to wait for their vaccine appointment. 

• Students who are not prioritized into other groups (for reasons like age or health care worker status, for example), are in Group 5.

• To indicate your interest in receiving the vaccine, complete local public health’s vaccination interest form — this will allow public health to notify you when it’s your turn to get the vaccine.

• Even after being vaccinated, it is necessary to continue to limit your activities and exposure to others to the greatest extent possible and follow the 3Ws (Wear, Wait, Wash) — review all recommended personal safety protocols here.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated quarantine recommendations for fully vaccinated persons — "fully vaccinated" means that at least two weeks have passed since a person has received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine. These individuals who meet criteria will no longer be required to quarantine following an exposure to someone with COVID-19; however, due to additional considerations, you should always follow the instructions of local public health. 

• These resources provide the latest COVID-19 vaccine information:

• The university's COVID-19 Vaccines page.

• NCDHHS’ vaccines page to find your vaccine group and a vaccine location and vaccine data dashboard for North Carolina vaccine-related data.

• CDC’s Essential Workers COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit that includes information for employers and employees and Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination page for vaccine-related guidance.

New face coverings guidance 

Wearing face coverings — and wearing them properly — is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

On Feb. 10, the CDC released new research and announced new face coverings guidelines that include wearing well-fitting face coverings and layered face coverings to help curb the spread of COVID-19 — in laboratory tests, this combination reduced exposure by about 95%.

• “Well-fitting” includes face coverings with a nose wire and adjustable ear loops and “layered” includes face coverings with multiple layers of fabric, such as the new washable, reusable face coverings that are being distributed to students, faculty and staff. “Layered” can also include wearing a cloth face covering over a disposable one.

Student Engagement and Activities

Have fun, stay safe, expand your horizons!

Visit this Student Life page, which is regularly updated with ways to stay engaged and have fun while staying safe.

Music Black History Month Concerts
Feb. 14, 21 and 28, 4 p.m., free virtual events
Hayes School of Music faculty will perform works ranging from 1890s ragtime to 21st-century electronic music of the Midwest, and faculty from the Department of English will perform readings from the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement to contemporary voices.

Fulbright Week
Feb. 16-18, free virtual events, registration required
The Fulbright Scholar Program offers over 500 teaching, research or combination teaching/research awards in over 125 countries available for faculty, staff and students. Learn more about the Fulbright program and how to prepare strong Fulbright applications.

Lead Your Way: Diversity Networking and Career Conference
Feb. 17, 3-6 p.m, free virtual event, registration required
Break-out panels featuring employers from organizations who have committed their resources to promoting diversity, followed by a networking afterparty. Register in Handshake to participate in all or part of the event.

APPS Front Desk Concert: 80 Unlacey
Feb. 19, premieres at 12 a.m., free virtual event 
Join APPS for a pre-recorded, acoustic concert by local Boone band 80 Unlacey — view other Front Desk Concerts and upcoming APPS events.

More Events and Activities:

AppalachianToday • Engage • Campus Activities • University Recreation • Turchin Center

Key Reminders

Modified Stay-at-Home Executive Order remains in effect 

• As a reminder, the extension of North Carolina’s Modified Stay at Home Order is in effect until at least Feb. 28 — it requires people to be at home from 10 p.m. - 5 a.m.. Additionally, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)’s secretarial directive warns North Carolinians to avoid indoor spaces without masks and gatherings between households.

• The university continues to work with law enforcement to address off-campus violations — read more about off-campus gatherings and enforcement.

On-campus COVID-19 testing 

• App State offers free COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff each Wednesday and Saturday from noon - 5 p.m. Walk up or drive up. No appointments required — bring your Banner ID and AppCard. Winter weather can affect the testing schedule, so check the university’s COVID-19 Testing page for the latest schedule and location information. Note that lines tend to be shorter between 3 - 5 p.m.

• Throughout the semester, 10% of the on-campus student population will be selected at random for periodic testing. Testing frequency will be based on available data, including voluntary surveillance testing events, contact tracing information and wastewater surveillance research.

Key Metrics

Resources and Communications

App State resources

• The Belk Library and Information Commons is currently open, with modified hours — view real time building occupancy information on the homepage and up-to-date location hours and services information on the Service Status page.

• The Free Store in the Office of Sustainability is now open by appointment for those who need warm winter clothing and/or interview attire. Email sustainability@appstate.edu for an appointment.

• In a Feb. 11 update to campus, Human Resources shared an updated version of the UNC System Office’s COVID-19 Return to On-Site Work Guidance for Faculty and Staff brochure. View the updated brochure and other COVID-19 guidance, on HR’s Employee Guidance page.

• Wellness and Prevention Services offers virtual events, peer education, weekly motivation messages and more. One of their resources is App State’s Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC), an addiction recovery community for students. 

Please reach out if you need assistance. There are many people at the university who are here to help you. If you aren’t sure who can help you, here’s where you can start:

Academic Affairs • Office of the Dean of Students • Mountaineer Emergency Fund • Resources for students • Resources for faculty and staff • Department directory

Communications and updates

Chancellor Everts continues to meet regularly with UNC System President Hans and System leadership, as well as with her vice chancellors and emergency management team. University representatives meet with local public health Monday-Friday and on weekends as needed, and consult regularly with the NCDHHS COVID-19 response team. Read more:

Messages from Chancellor Everts • Previous COVID-19 update from App State • App State’s coronavirus website and dashboard

Information Coming Soon

• Additional information about COVID-19 vaccines.

• Additional information about wastewater testing at App State.

• Additional tips for creating a pandemic pod.

• App State Athletics spring attendance update.