Summer Sessions and Preparing for Fall 2021

As a reminder, during the summer, operations updates will be sent to campus only as needed to share key information.
The university’s Coronavirus and Summer and Fall 2021 Guide to Campus Operations sites will continue to be updated with the latest guidance and information.

This week, the first summer session began. Additionally, over the summer, we continue to welcome prospective students and families to campus for in-person tours. Orientation for incoming students is also underway but is being held virtually. 

Key upcoming dates:

• May 31: University closed for Memorial Day
• Through June 25: Summer Session I 
• July 1 - Aug. 4: Summer Session II 
• Aug. 16: Fall 2021 first day of classes 

App State will return to pre-pandemic operations for the fall 2021 semester, with safety precautions in place — please see below for additional details.

App State COVID-19 Policies and Guidance Update

The May 21 update to campus included an update to App State’s COVID-19 policies and guidance. Highlights include:

• The university’s Returning to Campus page includes information about the return to pre-pandemic operations for the fall 2021 semester.
  
  
• The university’s Face Coverings page has been updated with current guidelines. The university’s revised face coverings policy will be published in the policy manual next week.

Additional information is below.

Campus operations during summer sessions

• Per Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 215, occupancy limits, gathering restrictions, and distancing requirements have been lifted. Face covering restrictions have been lifted with some exceptions (for example, indoor day and overnight camps for children conducted by a campus, campus health care facilities, a child care facility operated by a campus, or campus public transportation).
  
  
• Campus areas should not determine their own limits  — please contact safety@appstate.edu with questions.
  
  
• Classrooms that are currently configured for physical distancing will be returned to standard configurations for fall 2021.
  
  
• Facilities Operations is in the process of removing/replacing signage related to COVID-19 across campus.
  
  
• All signs related to COVID-19 restrictions are being removed with the exception of hand sanitizer stations and hand washing signage.
  
  
• Face coverings signs are being replaced to indicate that face coverings are required for unvaccinated individuals and optional for vaccinated individuals.
  
  
• No additional COVID-19 signage may be posted without prior approval from the Department of Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management (EHS&EM) — contact safety@appstate.edu with questions. 
  
  
• Faculty and staff who need a summer parking permit can register in person at the Parking and Transportation office in the Rivers Street Parking Deck — the monthly payroll deduction will be prorated based on when you register. 2020-21 parking permits expire on Aug.15 and online registration for 2021-22 parking permits will open on Aug. 2 at 10 a.m.
  
  
• Belk Library and Information Commons is open to students, faculty and staff. Services, hours and access will continue to be modified this summer in preparation for a full reopening for fall 2021.
• Study rooms will be open and available beginning June 1.
• View the library’s hours of operation.
• View the library’s service Status page.

University Recreation (UREC) update

• UREC facilities — while Mt. Mitchell Fitness Center in the Plemmons Student Union (PSU) is currently closed, the Student Recreation Center (SRC) and Quinn Recreation Center are open with summer hours. Visit the Facility Hours page for details.
  
  
• Group fitness classes are offered this summer.
  
  
• UREC facilities are available by appointment. Book facilities here. Download the UREC app for scheduling, real-time updates and communication.
  
  
• Faculty and staff who wish to use UREC facilities are required to sign up for a membership. If you have signed up for membership but have not used UREC facilities since May 16, 2021, you will need to complete a new membership form — visit UREC’s Membership and Fees page for instructions.
  
  
• Access for dependents of students and employees is now permitted — visit UREC’s Dependents page for more information.

Summer camps, programs, and conferences at App State

• This summer, the university will be hosting a variety of in-person youth and adult camps, programs and conferences, all configured to be compliant with current COVID-19-related guidelines and restrictions — review the Conference and Event Services COVID-19 updates page for details.
  
  
• Conference and Event Services is also taking reservations for fall 2021 camps, programs and conferences.

App State Athletics Update 

• App State Athletics has announced it will operate all venues — including Kidd Brewer Stadium for football – at full capacity for the 2021-22 academic year. Read the full update from App State Athletics here.

Additional resources: 
App State's Coronavirus Information page • App State’s Summer and Fall 2021 Guide to Campus Operations

COVID-19 Vaccines Update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.

Vaccinations are also our best defense against COVID-19 and the reason we are seeing fewer restrictions related to COVID-19 safety. Learn more about the benefits of getting vaccinated and review the CDC’s guidance for when you’ve been fully vaccinated. 

• App State strongly encourages students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated but cannot unilaterally mandate vaccines for students or employees — view additional details.
  
  
• Students can book vaccine appointments with Student Health Service or can use the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Vaccine Finder.
  
  
• Faculty and staff can get a vaccine at local providers and distribution centers or can use the NCDHHS Vaccine Finder.
  
  
• The next App State community vaccine clinic will be held on Thursday, July 1, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Plemmons Student Union (PSU) in the Blue Ridge Ballroom — register now and choose an available appointment time.

Additional COVID-19 vaccines resources: 
App State's COVID-19 Vaccine page • Vaccines for COVID-19 (CDC) • COVID-19 Vaccine Information (NCDHHS)  • COVID-19 dashboard (NCDHHS)

Information Coming Soon

Please remember to continue to check your App State email regularly throughout the summer for information about fall 2021, operations updates and other important news and reminders, including:

• Additional information about returning to pre-pandemic operations for the fall 2021 semester, with safety precautions in place.
  
  
• Information about scheduling campus events for fall 2021.
  
  
• Information about how students and employees can volunteer their vaccination status.