Jan. 21, 2022: In-person classes resume Jan. 31; at-home COVID test kits now available
Dear Spartans:
First, we want to thank you for your cooperation over the past weeks as we began the semester with campus open, but most courses delivered remotely. We know it wasn’t what we all wanted, but we felt it was necessary to ensure we could begin the semester in a way that would allow us to deliver content consistently and equitably while the Omicron surge was at its peak. We continued to monitor campus-related cases and believe the numbers are plateauing, which is consistent with the rapid rise and fall of Omicron infections seen in other outbreaks. With our continued mask mandate, high vaccination rates and most students and faculty boosted, we believe we are well-positioned to resume in-person classes Monday, Jan. 31, as planned.
Faculty and academic staff are preparing for fully in-person or hybrid instruction, and we greatly appreciate their flexibility to adapt coursework and modalities. Any employee who has questions about how this return to in-person instruction might impact them should contact their supervisor.
Although we’re progressing to in-person instruction, we all must continue to practice smart COVID-19 safety protocols: receive a booster when eligible, monitor your health and watch for symptoms, continue to follow the MSU face covering policy for all indoor locations and take care of your physical and mental health. For a list of safety protocols, please visit Together We Will.
Key aspects of our mitigation efforts are testing and continued use of face coverings. Earlier this week, the federal government shared a website to order free, at-home tests for COVID-19. To order, please visit https://www.covidtests.gov/. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has developed guidelines to help with home testing practices.
Testing also continues to be available on campus at the Spartan Stadium site for symptomatic people and through the Early Detection Program for those required to participate or volunteers.
As a reminder, the deadline for all faculty, students and staff to receive and report their COVID-19 booster is Feb. 1. For those not yet eligible, reminders will be sent and you are expected to receive your booster within 14 days of becoming eligible. The process to submit your information will be available Jan. 26 on MSU’s vaccine verification form.
Thank you, all, for your continued commitment to taking the steps necessary to ensure we can offer an in-person experience for our campus community. We know the pandemic is taking a toll on our students, faculty and staff. Please continue to exercise self-care and extend kindness and empathy to your colleagues, instructors and classmates.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. (he/him/his)
President
Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., M.D., MHS (he/him/his)
Executive Vice President for Health Sciences
Melissa Woo, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Executive Vice President for Administration & Chief Information Officer