COVID-19

Dear Members of the Muskingum Community:

While we hoped the coronavirus had run its course, we are still going to feel its impact this coming year. The COVID Safety Team has been working hard on preparations for the academic year as we adapt and develop policies and guidelines to ensure the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff within our current context.

As we return to campus, I strongly encourage you to obtain a vaccination against COVID-19. The campus community’s vaccination rate are critical factors in our ability to control community spread and protect the health of our campus community while providing an excellent college experience.

In making decisions about the return to campus, the COVID Safety Team is taking guidance from federal, state and local authorities as well as the NCAA. Based on that guidance, I am highlighting a few key things you need to know prior to the start of fall semester.

Fully vaccinated individuals should be able to engage in normal university activities without wearing a mask or social distancing. Fully vaccinated individuals who have been identified through contact tracing as exposed to someone who has COVID-19 will not need to quarantine or get tested unless they have symptoms.

When you are fully vaccinated, it is important that you let us know by submitting the online Vaccination Verification Form in our secure portal.  We are encouraging faculty, staff and students to continue to bring masks to campus even if they are fully vaccinated as there may be circumstances in which masks are needed.

Unvaccinated individuals are expected to wear masks and maintain social distancing. Regular surveillance testing of unvaccinated individuals will occur. Unvaccinated individuals who have been identified through contact tracing as exposed to someone who has COVID-19 must quarantine. We are striving to reach 85 percent immunity through vaccination. We anticipate being able to lessen restrictions when the campus community surpasses that immunity threshold.

We want to ensure a successful start to fall semester, so all faculty, staff and students without a vaccination card on record will complete an antigen test prior to the start of the semester.  

We had a successful year on campus and in person last year as we cared for one another and the community as a whole. With your continued commitment and dedication, we are looking forward to another wonderful year of learning and living together.

With the warmest wishes for a great start to the fall semester,

President Sue Hasseler