September 10, 2020
Dear North Central College Campus Community,
Prior to the start of the fall semester, we established a high bar for success. We asked a lot of you to make in-person instruction work—face coverings, physical distancing, various learning modalities, daily symptom monitoring, new cleaning protocols, no gathering in large groups, and much more. To date, YOU have risen to meet these challenges. YOU are making this work.
This isn’t easy, as illustrated by challenges that some of our peers are facing at other institutions. While we have no intention of getting too far ahead of ourselves or declaring any measure of victory, there’s been enough evidence up to this point to know that our systems are working—thanks to your commitment to the #TogetherNC pledge and the College’s existing policies and procedures, as well as your sound decision making and your care for one another and for the College.
Last week we initiated our planned COVID-19 surveillance testing process among the broader campus community, and of the 106 tests conducted and processed there were zero positive test results. The last two Saturdays, the athletics department conducted 624 tests as part of our ongoing COVID-19 testing process for student-athletes, which also resulted in zero positive test results. It’s been nearly a month since students began returning to campus and these most recent test results indicate that our health and safety measures are working, and that, by and large, the campus community is meeting the high bar that was set for all of us to engage in an in-person campus experience.
Ongoing surveillance and athletics department testing will continue throughout the semester and we thank you in advance for your participation in this critical process. Please note that we regularly report the College’s COVID-19 test results, as well as self-reported positive test results, on the Positive Test Results page of the covid.northcentralcollege.edu website.
Above all, there are two main points we want you to take from this message:
- Great job — We’re off to a strong start to an academic year unlike any other.
- Keep. It. Up. — We still have a long way to go, and the ability for campus to remain open will continue to depend on your commitment to the College’s policies and procedures, and to the #TogetherNC pledge, each and every day.
Keep wearing those face coverings. Keep washing your hands regularly. Keep maintaining a safe distance from others. Monitor your symptoms daily using the #CampusClear app, which can be downloaded from the Apple or Google app stores. If you feel sick, stay home and contact the Dyson Wellness Center or your primary care physician. Keep each other honest. We are only as strong as our weakest link and we have seen far too many instances at other institutions where the poor decisions of a few can have a major impact on the entire campus community.
Thanks to each and every one of you for the vital role you play in keeping our campus healthy and safe. In the spirit of #TogetherNC, we’re doing the hard work that is required and we’re seeing the results. If you have questions, continue to visit the covid.northcentralcollege.edu website, which is being regularly updated, including the expansive list of Frequently Asked Questions.
#TogetherNC,
Dr. Peter Barger
Assistant Provost; Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
Co-Chair COVID-19 Institutional Response Team
Dr. Kimberly Sluis
Vice President for Student Affairs and Strategic Initiatives
Co-Chair COVID-19 Institutional Response Team
