App Strong. App Resilient.

The university remains open, with emergency management protocols activated and operational modifications and precautions in place. 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.

In a March 17 press release, Gov. Cooper shared that North Carolina’s current COVID-19 data, trends and vaccination progress are promising but urged continued caution as the state monitors the presence of COVID-19 variants. Continue to protect yourself and others by following the 3Ws (Wear, Wait, Wash), avoid crowds and getting a COVID-19 vaccine when it is your turn.

COVID-19 Vaccines Update

COVID-19 vaccine clinics at App State

Last week, App State held its first vaccine clinics — Chancellor Everts’ March 19 message to campus shared that the university will host a vaccine clinic on Thursday, March 25 for eligible students, faculty, staff and community members.

• You have a spot to take your shot! App State is following the state’s prioritization system — you will receive an email from the university when it is time for you to schedule your vaccine appointment.

• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) strongly recommends getting vaccinated at your first available opportunity — the university's COVID-19 Vaccines page includes a list of additional local vaccine providers and distribution centers and other COVID-19 vaccine-related resources.

North Carolina COVID-19 vaccines timeline and guidance

North Carolina is currently vaccinating Groups 1, 2, 3, and phase one of Group 4 — as of March 18, the state has administered over 3.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and 17.1 percent of the state’s population, aged 18+, have been fully vaccinated. Review NCDHHS’ COVID-19 dashboard for more information.

• Phase two of Group 4 begins April 7 and includes university personnel and students living in residence halls or other group living settings who are not prioritized into other groups. Review NCDHHS’ Group 4 Deeper Dive.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and vaccination is an important tool to help stop the pandemic — learn more about the different COVID-19 vaccines and the benefits of getting vaccinated.

• As a reminder, review the CDC’s guidance for when you’ve been fully vaccinated — this page also includes information about guidance that remains in effect for fully vaccinated individuals, as well as anyone who is unvaccinated.

Student Resources and Activities

Resources 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:

• Mental health and wellness resources
• Academic support
• Comprehensive support for students

Additional Resources for Students: 
Academic Affairs • Office of the Dean of Students • Mountaineer Emergency Fund • Mountaineer Food Hub & Free Store • Student life • Department directory

Stay engaged, stay safe!

App State offers events and activities to help students stay engaged while staying safe. Highlights include:

App State Home Baseball Games
Tickets are available for remaining home baseball games. Face coverings and 6 feet of social distancing between seating pods are required. Read the full update from App State Athletics here.

APPS Front Desk Concert: The New Creatures
March 19, premieres at 12 a.m., free pre-recorded virtual event 
Join APPS for a pre-recorded, acoustic concert by The New Creatures, a rock ‘n’ roll band from McAdenville, North Carolina — view other Front Desk Concerts and upcoming APPS events.

Semicolon Week
March 22-27, free in-person and virtual events, registration required
With the semicolon, know that your story will continue. Semicolon Week supports and promotes awareness of mental health and suicide prevention, with a focus on self care and self-advocacy. Sponsored by Wellness and Prevention Services. 

“The Schaefer Center Presents” Best of the Appalachian Dance Ensemble
March 25, 8 p.m., free virtual event, registration required
This virtual best-of showcase from App State’s Department of Theatre and Dance features works from faculty choreographers — modern, ballet, tap and African-themed dance.

Diversity Celebration
April 8-9, free in-person and virtual events
App State’s annual Diversity Celebration will feature a festival on Sanford Mall, dance, food, presentations by award-winning slam poet Paul Tran and more. 

More Events and Activities:
AppalachianToday • Engage • Campus Activities • University Recreation • Turchin Center

Latest News and Key Reminders

Spring Commencement plans announced

• Chancellor Everts’ March 19 message to campus shared details about in-person and virtual Spring 2021 Commencement ceremonies on May 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 — all in person ceremonies will include graduates from all university colleges and will be livestreamed.

• Visit the university’s commencement website for additional information, including an interest form for graduates, regalia requirements, guest allowances and safety protocols. 

Additional federal emergency grants

• Federal legislation passed Dec. 27, 2020, made available a second round of grant allocations to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus, as well as students’ cost of attendance. As a result, App State is distributing what is known as HEERF II funding directly to eligible undergraduate and graduate students in March. Learn more about who is eligible and the expected payment amounts.

Family Weekend reminder

• Virtual Family Weekend is March 26-28. Visit the Family Weekend website for details.

On-campus COVID-19 testing continues

• Free COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff continues each Wednesday and Saturday from noon - 5 p.m. Walk up or drive up. No appointments required — bring your Banner ID and AppCard. Check the university’s COVID-19 Testing page for the latest schedule and location information. Note: Wednesdays are the busiest testing days; for shorter wait times, choose a Saturday test date and/or come between 3-5 p.m.

Key Metrics

Communications and Updates

COVID-19 Dashboard update

The university’s COVID-19 Dashboard has been updated to include the total number of COVID-19 vaccines distributed at on-campus clinics — this information is updated on Mondays. Additionally, as of March 15, local public health will not provide daily active case data on weekends — each Monday's numbers will reflect weekend totals.

COVID-19 positive cases update

Our preliminary testing data for this week indicates a positivity rate for the week of 1.9%. Weekly positivity rates have not exceeded 3.3% in 2021. However, App State has seen cases of COVID-19 in some of our residence halls.

• All active cases and close contacts have been identified and are receiving support from the university while recovering in isolation and/or quarantining. Learn more about contact tracing and campus isolation and quarantine procedures.

• Targeted testing is ongoing and the university is actively engaging in contact tracing for all positive cases.

• Monday's dashboard update will include additional cluster data for the spring semester, as well as the weekly data for this week that includes testing data from this weekend.

Continued COVID-19 response efforts

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 regularly with local public health consult with the NCDHHS COVID-19 response team as needed. Read more:

Messages from Chancellor Everts • Previous COVID-19 update from App State • App State’s coronavirus website and dashboard • Resources for faculty and staff • Department directory

Information Coming Soon

• Additional information about COVID-19 vaccines.

• Information about reopening of certain campus facilities.