Important Return to Campus Updates

Friday, January 8, 2021

Rockhurst University Student Companions,

 

We hope you have enjoyed a restful break and are ready to return to the Rock! We are ready to welcome you back for the spring 2021 semester, which begins Tuesday, Jan. 26. Please read the following information carefully to prepare for your return to campus.

Campus Clear App Gift Card Winners!

  • If you have gotten out of the habit of using the Campus Clear app to check your symptoms and see if you need to report them, please start doing so again now. 
  • To encourage you in this effort, Campus Life is awarding gift cards and other prizes to those who are faithful users. Congratulations to the following students, who completed Campus Clear the first five weekdays of November!
    • $25 gift card winners
      • Siobhan Calandrelli
      • Justin Sackman
      • Raquise Shelton
      • Cooper Stiles
    • $100 gift card winners
      • Dillon Slizinski 
      • Lidcia Solis Najera
  • More gift cards, AirPods and other prizes will be awarded throughout the semester, so don’t forget to use Campus Clear daily!

Just for Fun

  • We understand that it’s a challenge to socialize and meet people during the pandemic, we’re focusing on offering safe alternatives this spring. Here are a few examples:
    • During the first week, SAB will host:
    • An Instagram virtual giveaway advertising their first meeting
    • “Start the semester on the right foot event” on Tuesday with potential giveaways
    • Fire Pit Friday event with s’mores supplies to welcome students back (weather permitting)

Required Pandemic Protocols

  • This weekend marks approximately two weeks prior to when many of you will be moving back to campus. Starting this Sunday, Jan. 10, please begin your quarantine to help ensure you won’t bring COVID-19 back with you (or earlier if you are coming back earlier).
  • If you are out of the habit of wearing your face covering, social distancing, and regularly washing your hands, please resume doing so this weekend.  Avoid any elective travel and large crowds.
  • Just like the rest of the country, Kansas City is experiencing a shortage of ICU beds and hospitals are at or over capacity. In addition, we know that the highly contagious virus variants have been identified in the U.S. and may already be in our area. It will be extremely important to try to limit the spread of the virus when you return to campus to protect the Kansas City community and to be able to complete our semester. That efforts starts with you today!
  • For reminders about when to complete the Illness and Exposure Reporting form, what it means to be in close contact with a COVID-positive person, where to get tested in the Kansas City area and more, visit our Return to the Rock page. Please do not return to RU if you are in quarantine (exposed to a COVID positive person) or isolation (COVID positive or symptomatic).
  • Be sure to inform your faculty members if you are unable to attend in-person classes or are too ill to participate in virtual classes, especially the first time the classes meet.

COVID Vaccinations

  • COVID vaccines are being rolled out by states on a prioritized basis. Rockhurst does not have plans to require vaccination at this time but does recommend that you get vaccinated when it is available to you if your health care provider advises you to do so.
  • If you live or work in Jackson County, Missouri (even as a student), you will be able to register your interest in receiving the vaccine when it becomes available by completing this form through the Jackson County Health Department. When it asks for “school district,” enter Rockhurst University. 
  • The CDC recommends that those who have been vaccinated still wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Lastly, we want to thank all of you for your diligence in observing health and safety protocols that allowed us to complete our entire fall semester on campus. This is a remarkable achievement and it was noticed and acknowledged in the statement from the Rockhurst University Board of Trustees found here. You will also see a thank you video produced by our University marketing department.  Let’s make this another successful semester!

Sincerely,  

Matthew D. Quick, Ph.D.   
Dean of Students/Vice President   
Student Development and Athletics   
   
Douglas N. Dunham, Ph.D.   
Provost and Senior Vice President   
Academic Affairs