As the pandemic and mitigation strategies continue to evolve, it is important that we have the most timely and accurate information possible to inform our decisions, including the mask mandate.  That means we need to update our June data about the percentage of our campus that is vaccinated.  We also ask that you participate in a second survey to explore attitudes about the COVID vaccine among those who are vaccinated and those who are not.  We hope that every member of our campus community will complete both surveys.

Survey #1

To share your vaccination status, please go to https://forms.gle/bcNV6M9BXM9RD3SP7.  When the Google login is presented, you will need to enter your Truman email address to complete the survey.  The site is available now through the close of business on September 10.

There are only two questions on the first survey:

1. Are you fully vaccinated for COVID-19?
2. If you answered “no”, have you begun the vaccination process?

If you answer “yes” to either of the questions, you will be asked to upload an image of your vaccination card so we can have the most accurate information about verification status.  Once Human Resources verifies vaccination status from the card image, the card image will be deleted.  The image will be deleted no later than September 17.  If you do not wish to upload an image of your vaccination card, you may go to Human Resources (101 McClain Hall) to share your status from 8am-5pm, Monday – Friday.  Please be sure to bring your vaccination card with you.

Vaccination status is being collected to have knowledge about the campus as a whole. To be considered to be fully vaccinated or in the process of being vaccinated, you must upload an image of your card or present it to the staff in Human Resources.  You will not be contacted about your individual vaccination status.

Survey #2

To participate in the second survey, please go to https://survey.truman.edu/surveys/2b528d2a-5103-46a7-a5ba-27c17dda33b3.  This eight question survey is sponsored by Truman’s Faculty Senate COVID Working Group, and faculty and staff are encouraged to share their thoughts.

The survey asks about personal health and attitude information; data are collected anonymously and can only be accessed by the Faculty Senate COVID Working Group.  Aggregated results will be shared with the campus.  The purpose of the survey is to gather information that may inform strategies to promote a healthy and thriving campus.

Truman is successfully navigating the pandemic because we consistently step up to keep each other safe and well.  Sharing your vaccination status and completing the second survey are quick and easy ways to continue this commitment to one another.  Thank you in advance for providing this essential information.

Office of the President

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Related Links:

• Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website
• All Communications

Dear Truman Community,

Here’s a seven-minute video with Drs. Daley-Moore and Alberts discussing this week’s numbers and context about how the campus is doing.

https://zoom.us/rec/share/bV66Pq-za5Bcozc2olxi2LPP7mbLjLCDntD6EDsN-qiyvyz9Q6AXe0VI6JZHkwVf.zi_ugSvsMb3u_EEg

Numbers on campus are up to 21 cases, which wasn’t totally unexpected. People are back on campus, meeting in groups, so the “bloom” was not a surprise. Still, it’s a cause to worry a little bit, since we don’t want to see additional bloom to other groups.

Even those who are vaccinated should continue to mask, on campus (where it’s a rule) and in town (where it’s not), and should continue to wash their hands, avoid long times with others in small spaces indoors.  Those who are not vaccinated should do all of those things and more, and of course, we recommend you to consider getting vaccinated.

Those who have been vaccinated will not be asked to formally quarantine if they are exposed to a positive case, but we do ask them to watch for symptoms and to get tested a few days after exposure, and to consider a “baby self-quarantine” until they get those results. Those who have not been vaccinated will continue to be quarantined for 10 days if they no symptoms and a negative test. Of course, those who test positive are still isolated for 14 days from their initial exposure.

Faculty are still encouraged to maintain seating charts, so that only those within six feet will be contacted by the contract tracing team. We still encourage them to support students who are in isolation, quarantine, or self-quarantine, as much they possibly can. Faculty are also encouraged to remind students that the mask goes over the mouth AND nose, which is vitally important in classrooms and other spaces where social distance cannot be maintained.

A campus survey will be coming out soon, so please do complete that when it is sent. That input will be part of the information used to reconsider campus policies as we move forward. Our next decision point is September 15, so having good preliminary results by then will help inform the best decisions for our community.

An vaccine clinic is planned for tomorrow, September 2, from 1-4 PM at the Health Center, open to anyone 18 and older. Spots are still available, but you do have to pre-register. Details and a link to the registration site can be found here: http://newsletter.truman.edu/article.asp?id=28524

You can also go most anytime to HyVee, Walgreens and other local pharmacies to get your shot.

COVID tests are available on campus for students and at many local pharmacies and health providers, although there are some local shortages with the “gold-standard” PCR test right now. Some pharmacies also offer rapid tests that take only a few minutes, and you can even by at-home kits at some.

Although we aim these updates at our campus community, please do share this information or the video with students in your classes, with parents, and elsewhere. This information is shared with all students via their COVID Blackboard page and sent directly to all Truman faculty and staff, and shared on our public web page here:

https://www.truman.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-working-group-videos/

If you have questions or topics you’d like to know more about, please contact us at: ndmoore@truman.edu

-Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group
Nancy Daley-Moore, PhD, Health Science
Christine Harker, PhD, English
Scott Alberts, PhD, Statistics

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Related Links:

Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group Videos and Emails

Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website

Recent Campus Communications:

Dear Truman Community,

Here’s a ten-minute summary video of the COVID-19 numbers and our situation as we start classes and a new academic year. We were happy to welcome student Will Hendrickson to our video group this week for his take on how things are going. (Sorry that the auto-captions did not work. We’re working on a solution)

https://zoom.us/rec/play/TZPbAJhwTXlezGM_Fjzcqz36lvaYIwm97ib6jNlCWUMZhrkeTOeD6DBdvvSxeESlJQCw-0s54N4arZI.XTHYgAyjq76Z9_U5

We have eight active cases on campus, 6 student cases and 2 from the faculty/staff.

Remember our official numbers are updated each Tuesday here:

https://www.truman.edu/coronavirus/reporting/

(the recovered number is a bit funny, since new students have arrived and others have graduated, and we probably do not know about all student cases that occurred over the summer).

That’s a good start to the year, given the “Red” numbers in the region, but we do worry about “bloom,” where those students nearest the student (roommates, partners, etc.) test positive, but we hope to clamp it down before it spreads too far.

Masking on campus is not just required, but it’s also just a good idea. Given the numbers off-campus, we definitely recommend wearing a mask to the grocery store or anywhere else you might need to go where you’ll be around large groups without distance.

Of course, the positive news is that the FDA has given full approval to the Pfizer vaccine, meaning that it has now fully demonstrated that it is both safe and effective. We recommend that anyone who had been worried about the earlier emergency authorization will now consider getting the vaccine as soon as they can..

We expect a survey to be conducted next week to ask about vaccination status and opinions about COVID and the University’s response. Please consider completing it when you get that invitation. As new information emerges, the university will consider our ongoing COVID strategies, with the next evaluation happening in mid-September. We hope to have good responses to our survey before that, to be used in concert with our case counts and other emerging trends and announcements.

There is an on-campus vaccine clinic planned for next Friday, September 3. You can also go most anytime to HyVee, Walgreens and other local pharmacies to get your shot.

Although we aim these updates at our campus community, please do share this information or the video with students in your classes, with parents, and elsewhere. This information is shared with all students via their COVID Blackboard page and sent directly to all Truman faculty and staff, and shared on our public web page here:

https://www.truman.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-working-group-videos/

If you have questions or topics you’d like to know more about, please contact us at: ndmoore@truman.edu

-Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group
Nancy Daley-Moore, PhD, Health Science
Christine Harker, PhD, English
Scott Alberts, PhD, Statistics

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Related Links:

Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group Videos and Emails

Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website

Recent Campus Communications:

Dear Truman Community,

Here’s a ten-minute summary video of the COVID-19 situation as we prepare to welcome students back to our campus.

https://zoom.us/rec/share/T-PE-52eONP8Rbsb_9IPeMR_fBtYwC0o26dWdW1W63YBt8FWfm_VZ4IKQ6sTIhOv.qu-7Dam25PsPwWfp

As you probably know, our fall plan was later updated to require masks indoors for everyone on campus.

https://blogs.truman.edu/news/2021/08/03/mask-policy-update-to-the-fall-plan/

We’ll re-evaluate the plan in mid-September, but for now, plan on wearing masks to class and in most buildings.

Those who aren’t yet vaccinated are expected to use extra precautions, but we encourage everyone to think about your contacts, to distance when you can, and to generally add more layers of “Swiss cheese” – No layer is perfect, but with multiple layers, your protection is much stronger: https://uihc.org/health-topics/why-swiss-cheese-may-be-key-keeping-you-safe-covid-19

Last April, our e-mail to you said, “Our dreams of a “new normal” this fall rely on a high level of vaccination among our campus community.”  This sentiment is still true, even as the Delta variant and other worries abound.

We will have vaccine events on campus, but anyone can go to Hy-Vee, Walgreens, and other local providers around town to get a vaccine, usually as a drop-in. Multiple kinds of COVID-19 testing are offered at those sites at no cost, and on campus through our health center for a small fee.

Each Tuesday, our campus counts will be published online at:

https://www.truman.edu/coronavirus/reporting/

We’ll have an e-mail update and often a video each Wednesday to explain the numbers, and try to give other useful information for those on campus and beyond.

Although we aim these updates at our campus community, please do share this information or the video with students in your classes, with parents, and elsewhere. This information is shared with all students via Blackboard page and sent directly to all Truman faculty and staff, and shared on our public web page here:

https://www.truman.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-working-group-videos/

If you have questions or topics you’d like to know more about, please contact us at: ndmoore@truman.edu

-Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group
Nancy Daley-Moore, PhD, Health Science
Christine Harker, PhD, English
Scott Alberts, PhD, Statistics

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Related Links:

Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group Videos and Emails

Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website

 

Truman was able to complete the previous academic year without any COVID-related stoppages because it remained fully informed and flexible in its approach. When the school year ended, conditions surrounding the pandemic showed signs of progress, and many hoped for a fall semester that resembled pre-pandemic times. Unfortunately, the last few months have not continued that trajectory, and in light of a variety of factors, the University will temporarily reinstate portions of its mask policy effective Aug. 9.

With the Delta variant on the rise in many parts of the country, and vaccinated individuals who become infected able to transmit the virus, the CDC revised its public health guidelines to recommend masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status. Adair County is an area of substantial or high transmission.

Starting Aug. 9, 2021, Truman will require everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks while inside campus buildings, with exceptions for dining and when in a personal residence hall room, or office. Currently, this is the only change to the previously announced fall plan. Modes of instruction, room capacities and on-campus events will continue under previously established guidelines. Truman will review and reevaluate the mask policy by Sept. 17, with guidance from the CDC, the Adair County Health Department, and local and state public health professionals.

Vaccination remains the best defense against COVID-19. Infections happen in only a very small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant. When infections occur among vaccinated people, they tend to be mild. The University strongly encourages anyone who can get a vaccine to do so. On-campus vaccination clinics for students will be available through the Student Health Center. Details on how to sign up will be posted at truman.edu/coronavirus when they become available.

Office of the President
200 McClain Hall
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501
(660) 785-4100
www.truman.edu

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Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website>

The University is reviewing the CDC guidance released on July 27.  We will provide any updates for our Fall 2021 Campus Plan soon.  As always, thank you for your patience as we navigate this fluid situation.

Office of the President
200 McClain Hall
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501

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Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website>

 

 

 

Office of the President
200 McClain Hall
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501
(660) 785-4100
www.truman.edu

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Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website>

 

 

Dear Campus Community:

COVID-19 vaccines are currently not mandatory for employees, but they are strongly encouraged. The mask mandate was lifted beginning July 6 for anyone who has been fully vaccinated, per CDC guidelines. Those who are not vaccinated should continue to wear a mask.

Initially, when Truman had no cases on campus, the University was operating under the honor system. With two confirmed cases in a week, the guidelines for employees have been adjusted. When an office or working group has a positive COVID test in their area, all employees within that group will be asked to show proof of their vaccination status to Human Resources to continue to not wear a mask.

Those employees who are not vaccinated, or who choose not to disclose that information, should continue to wear a mask while indoors for the foreseeable future, unless they are alone in a private office. If employees later decide to become vaccinated, or to disclose their vaccination status, they can update their information with Human Resources.

In order to assist with enforcement, supervisors will be informed by Human Resources who is allowed to go without a mask. Employees should not ask one another about vaccination status or whether they intend to get the vaccine. Employees wearing a mask should not be asked about that decision, as some vaccinated employees may still wish to wear a mask for a variety of reasons. Employees who choose to disclose that they are not vaccinated should not be asked why they have chosen not to receive the vaccine.

If an employee tests positive, or has been in contact with someone who tested positive, they should contact their supervisor and Human Resources. Updated guidelines regarding quarantine can be found on the Health and Wellness page of the University’s coronavirus website. Employees with questions about this process can contact Human Resources at 660.785.4031, by email at hrstaff@truman.edu or by stopping by McClain Hall 101.

Human Resources
Truman State University
McClain Hall 101
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501
(660) 785-4031
hrstaff@truman.edu
www.truman.edu

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Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truman navigated the 2020-21 school year without any COVID-related stoppages because of proper planning and so many people working together. Our faculty, staff and students made choices that supported a safe community and together we achieved what many thought would be impossible.

As we look forward to the coming school year, we need to draw on that same sense of community. The end of the pandemic is in sight, but it is not over yet. To ensure another successful school year, we must continue to work together to make informed individual and collective decisions.

In the previous year, we learned a lot about how to conduct a school year in less-than-ideal conditions. We will continue to consult local health officials, professional organizations and the plans of other universities to determine how best to move forward. This current plan reflects that work, as well as input from faculty, staff and students addressing the multitude of factors that must be considered to return to campus.

In a survey conducted from June 14-21, more than 89% of students and 97% of faculty and staff who responded indicated they are currently vaccinated or will be by the start of the semester. The strong vaccination rates significantly reduce the probability of a substantial COVID-19 outbreak on campus. Based on this data, and per CDC guidance, the campus mask mandate will end July 6. Because they are fully vaccinated, most students and employees on campus will not be required to wear masks or socially distance. Those participating in Joseph Baldwin Academy and other on-campus camps will continue to follow all currently existing COVID-19 safety guidelines until the conclusion of their program.

This fall, vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly advised to wear masks when indoors or attending a crowded outdoor event. Individuals who have underlying medical conditions or are more comfortable wearing a mask are encouraged to do so. Anyone electing to wear a mask should not be asked about their vaccination status or medical conditions.

Individuals will not be required to provide proof of vaccination in order to not wear masks or participate in routine campus activities. We expect all members of our campus community to practice personal integrity. This includes being honest about one’s own vaccination status and respecting the privacy of others’ health information.

Truman has and will continue to consider the Center for Disease Control (CDC) (COVID-19): Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education and Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence: College and University Recommendations. The University will continue to prepare for multiple scenarios and we must be ready to make any necessary adjustments should the need arise.

Additional details regarding the Fall 2021 Campus Plan can be found online at truman.edu/coronavirus and at  https://www.truman.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fall-2021-Plan.pdf.

Office of the President
200 McClain Hall
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501
(660) 785-4100
www.truman.edu

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Coronavirus Updates and Resources Website>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The response of our campus community to sharing their vaccination status has been terrific, but to have the best sense of our campus-wide vaccination status, we must have as many people as possible respond to the survey.  At Truman, we have shown time and again that we are willing to do what is necessary to keep one another safe during the pandemic, and sharing your status is a very quick and easy way to continue to help keep the campus safe.

If you have not yet shared your vaccination status, it is not too late!  Please go to https://forms.gle/t2keXUvbx4TDDg6C7.  When the Google login is presented, you will need to enter your Truman email address to complete the survey.

As a reminder, the site is only available through the close of business today (Monday, June 21) and there are only two questions:

1. Are you fully vaccinated for COVID-19?
2. If you answered “no,” do you plan to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before the start of the Fall semester?

Vaccination status is being collected to have knowledge about the campus as a whole.  You will not be contacted about your individual vaccination status, nor will it be shared with anyone.

An enormous thank you for sharing your vaccination status; it really does make a difference!

Office of the President
200 McClain Hall
100 E. Normal Avenue
Kirksville, MO 63501
(660) 785-4100
www.truman.edu