March 5, 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Rarely has a spring been more welcome than this one, with renewed hope for the future. COVID cases on campus continue to be extremely low. We just finished our second week of 0% positivity for mitigation testing and had no positive cases at River Crossing’s on-arrival testing last month. While hope is truly on the horizon, now is not the time to let down our guard. Regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not, you must stay the course with distancing, mask-wearing, hand washing/sanitizing and participation in mitigation testing, contact tracing and subsequent instructions. It is also important to continue to keep our social/family circles small and refrain from high-risk activities. Research is still ongoing to know if those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine can still contract and pass the virus. While the vaccine will play a role in slowing viral spread, there are still unknowns in the pandemic landscape including the emergence of new, more contagious strains of the virus. This means we must remain diligent with our practices to continue to keep everyone as healthy as possible.
Getting and Reporting Your COVID-19 Vaccine
It is strongly recommended that all members of the campus community receive the COVID vaccine when eligible. Those who receive the vaccine should also report it using the COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Form. You should report after your first dose as well as your second dose so we can use this information in our planning. The more people in our campus community who receive the vaccine, the better chance we have for a more typical fall 2021.
If you have questions about the vaccine, check out COVID-19 Vaccine as well as COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs. You can also attend the Ask Aaron Webinar Series to get your questions answered. These resources share information about the vaccines, how to register, what to expect at your appointment, and more. I also encourage you to check out this COVID-19 Message from the 100 Black Men, Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences, and Beacon Health System. It’s a strong reminder of what we all need to do to keep healthy and safe. Thanks to all those at IUSB who contributed!
Strategic Planning Town Hall
Our Campus Directions Committee continues to be hard at work finishing up our campus strategic plan. Please plan to attend the next town hall on Friday, Mar. 19 from 10:00am to 12:00pm. During this town hall members of the campus community will learn more about our five goals and have a chance to provide feedback on strategies to achieve them. All faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend. To join the town hall, visit Strategic Planning the morning of the event.
In Case You Missed It
Last week’s Coffee with the Chancellor provided many exciting updates. Here are the five things you need to know in case you missed it:
1. The Association for the Advancement for Sustainability in Higher Education, granted IU South Bend a STARS Bronze Rating for our sustainability efforts. STARS stands for Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System. We are the only IU regional campus to hold a STARS rating.
2. We have also been named a Military Friendly School earning a Bronze rating. We are the only IU campus to have this distinction.
3. With the departure of Purdue Polytech, 1733 Northside Boulevard has officially been renamed Parkside Hall.
4. Our 16-screen IQ Wall, located in the University Grill, is officially up and running, and available to any student, faculty, or staff member in our campus community. Information on using and reserving the IQ Wall can be found here.
5. Our Campus Campaign is in full swing. Each year, faculty and staff support the programs, departments, and scholarships that make IU South Bend such a wonderful center of learning and personal growth. Since the first campus campaign in 2006, employees have given over $2.1 million. This year’s campus campaign theme is “Together We Change Lives”. Your gifts, no matter how large or small, make a difference. We invite you to visit Campus Campaign to learn more and donate. Thank you for your support!
Finally, I would like to congratulate Titan Athletics and our Men’s Basketball Team for claiming their second consecutive CCAC Tournament Championship this week. It hasn’t been an easy year for our student athletes but this win shows what can happen when you never give up hope and continue to preserve. Next stop the NAIA National Tournament!