Preparing for Fall 2021

In addition to email updates, the university’s Coronavirus and Summer and Fall 2021 Guide to Campus Operations sites are regularly updated with the latest guidance and information for campus. Please continue to refer to these sites frequently.

In her July 16 message to campus, Chancellor Everts noted that fall 2021 classes begin on Aug. 16 — less than one month away — and encouraged all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated to help protect our community, especially children under 12 and immunocompromised individuals who are unable to take the vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is the single most effective tool we have against the virus and variants, and it is allowing for the full return to campus for the fall 2021 semester.

COVID-19 vaccines are key to providing:

• Students with in-person instruction and a robust on-campus experience.
• A safe on-campus work environment for employees.

Although the university cannot unilaterally mandate vaccines for employees or students, App State's vaccination clinic is part of North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan for rural areas.

Please see below for additional COVID-19-related information and campus operations updates.

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

All students, faculty and staff should submit their COVID-19 vaccine status 

Fully vaccinated students and employees should submit their vaccination status as soon as possible — students who live in residence halls are required to do so before move-in. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, you can volunteer your status as soon as you have received the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine. This information will be kept confidential and will be used only to inform university-wide safety protocols.

• Students who live in residence halls: Prior to move-in, you must provide your COVID-19 vaccine status as part of your vaccine records via your MedPortal account.
   
• If you are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 at the time of move-in, you must provide documentation of negative COVID-19 test results, and you may be required to take additional COVID-19 tests prior to move-in.
  
  
• You will also be subject to regular COVID-19 testing throughout the semester.
  
  
• Students moving in to residence halls for the fall semester will recieve more detailed information about move-in documentation requirements and COVID-19 testing soon.
  
  
• App State will continue wastewater testing in residence halls to help with COVID-19 early detection and rapid response.
  
  

• Students who live off campus: Please submit your vaccine status as part of your vaccine records via your MedPortal account.

• Faculty and staff: Please attest your vaccine status via this secure COVID-19 Vaccine Attestation form. You will need your Banner ID and the date you received your second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine.

• If you have questions about uploading your vaccine status or if you need to update your response, contact Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management (EHS&EM) by emailing safety@appstate.edu.

Visit the university’s COVID-19 Vaccine page for additional information, including incentives for submitting your vaccination status, what to do if you’ve lost your vaccination card and more.

All students, faculty and staff should get a COVID-19 vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and beneficial and are the single most effective tool we have against the virus and variants. 

North Carolina has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations since the emergence of the Delta variant. More than 94% of the cases in North Carolina are now in people who are not 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, faculty and staff can book vaccine appointments with Student Health Service by calling 828-262-3100 or can use the NCDHHS Vaccine Finder.

• If you have questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines, consult with your family physician or our Student Health Service physicians.

Updated CDC recommendations for fully vaccinated people

On July 27, the CDC updated its guidance for when you’ve been fully vaccinated due to new evidence about the Delta variant currently circulating in the United States. Updates to the guidance include:

• Recommendation that fully vaccinated people should wear a face covering in indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. 13 counties in North Carolina are now experiencing substantial or critical community transmission — Watauga County is currently listed in the moderate community transmission category.

• Added information that fully vaccinated people might choose to wear a face covering regardless of the level of transmission if they or someone in their household are at increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19 and/or if someone in their household is not fully vaccinated.

• Added a recommendation that fully vaccinated people with a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after a known exposure and should wear a face covering in indoor public settings for 14 days or until receipt of a negative test result. 

Vaccine data and statewide updates

Each Monday, the university shares the total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered by App State and Watauga County vaccinations data on the university’s COVID-19 Vaccines page. As of July 26:

• App State has administered 4,679 vaccines at vaccine clinics and in Student Health Service.
  
  
• In Watauga County, 27,095 people, or 48% are fully vaccinated. View the AppHealthCare dashboard for local COVID-19 data.
  
  
• North Carolina has administered more than 9.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and 46% of the state’s total population has been fully vaccinated. Visit NCDHHS’ COVID-19 vaccines dashboard for more information.

• On July 20, NCDHHS announced a new At-Home Vaccination Hotline that allows caregivers, providers and individuals across North Carolina to schedule an at-home COVID-19 vaccination.

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

App State COVID-19 Policies and Guidance Updates

If you have questions or concerns about the university’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, please reach out to safety@appstate.edu.

A team led by Emergency Management Director Jason Marshburn and Dr. Alex Howard, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of Wellness and Prevention Services, meets regularly to review CDC, state and local public health guidance. This team's recommendations are presented to the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors each week, at a minimum, as well as after key decisions are announced. Chancellor Everts and the Vice Chancellors meet daily to review the latest guidance and discuss the university's COVID response and recovery efforts.

Face coverings

Executive Order 220 expires July 30 at 5 p.m. At a July 21 press conference, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that all remaining COVID-19 restrictions imposed under the EO will be lifted, but the COVID-19 State of Emergency will remain in effect. 

The next COVID-19 news conference is scheduled for Thursday, July 29 at 3 p.m (days/times subject to change). App State is following CDC, state and local public health guidance and will provide updates as needed — the university’s Face Coverings page and policy have been updated based on current guidelines.

• Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a face covering on App State’s campus, EXCEPT:
  
  
• At Student Health Service or other health care settings. 
• At on-campus child care facilities.
• At on-campus summer camps serving minors.

• Individuals who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 must continue to wear face coverings in all indoor public settings.
  
  
• Wearing face coverings is optional for vaccinated individuals; however, the CDC is now recommending them in certain settings. Please continue to be respectful and supportive of those who elect to continue to wear face coverings.
  
  
• If you are uncomfortable meeting with people who aren’t wearing face coverings, you have options such as wearing a face covering yourself, offering/providing disposable face coverings to visitors, and meeting outdoors or in well-ventilated locations. Academic Affairs is providing additional guidance and resources for meetings with students and classroom settings.

Returning to on-campus work

The July 2 update to campus included the latest information about returning to on-campus work. Highlights include:

• All faculty and staff are preparing to return to pre-pandemic work arrangements. There is not one campus-wide date for the end of current work arrangements, but campus will be fully returned by the start of the fall semester on Aug. 16.
  
  
• HR is working to develop and implement a campus policy for flexible work arrangements. More information will be shared soon.
  
  
• Students or employees who need a disability accommodation due to health-related concerns should complete the applicable Accommodation Request Procedure. Requests are reviewed confidentially on a case-by-case basis by the Office of Disability Resources.
  
  
• Students and employees should continue to monitor themselves and stay home if they feel unwell or have possible COVID-19 symptoms. They should also self-report COVID-19 tests and results and/or if they have been instructed to quarantine by public health.
  
  
• Facilities Operations has removed/replaced signage related to COVID-19 across campus. No additional COVID-19 signage may be posted, nor may any COVID-19 signage be removed without prior approval from the Department of Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management (EHS&EM) — contact safety@appstate.edu with questions.
  
  
• Remember and utilize available wellness resources:
  • Wellness resources for students.
  • Resources for faculty and staff.
  
  
• The Office of Human Resources (HR) will host a Town Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 3 from 1:30 - 3 p.m. in the Roan Mountain Room of the Plemmons Student Union to address additional questions about returning to on-campus work.
  
  
• Submit questions to human-resources@appstate.edu, via HR’s Town Hall form or via the Staff Senate online form. 

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

Campus Operations

Classrooms

• Classrooms have been returned to standard configurations for fall 2021.
  
  
• Classrooms will continue to be supplied with surface wipes and hand sanitizer for use by students and faculty, and classrooms will continue to be cleaned daily.
  
  
• Disposable face coverings will be made available to departments for distribution as needed.

AppalCART update

• Local transit system AppalCART has announced that it has discontinued its use of the NextBus mobile application. Beginning Aug. 9, AppalCART will use the TransLoc mobile app for real-time bus location and passenger information. The TransLoc app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App store.
  
  
• Real-time schedules are not available until Aug. 9. Fixed route bus schedules are available on the AppalCART website’s routes, maps and schedules page, in the Break Schedule section.

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 campus events for fall 2021.
  
  
• Additional information about incentives for getting vaccinated and for volunteering your vaccination status.
  
  
• Additional information for students living in on-campus housing.