BUCSAFE Update from the President

As you know by now, this week marks the last “normal” week on the fall academic calendar. Thanksgiving is on the way, with final projects, study sessions, and exams to follow. Christmas break will be here before you know it, and it won’t take me long to get excited about what the Lord has in store for next semester!   

I’m already excited to announce the winners of our latest Community Immunity Challenge drawing. These students will have a little more pep in their step walking into the holiday season. Congrats, Bucs! 

The final drawing during the fall semester is a BIG ONE! Any student who uploads their proof of vaccination or evidence of natural immunity by Monday, December 6 is eligible to win a $5,000 scholarship for the spring semester!  

Remember, CSU’s Community Immunity goal is 70%, which includes proof of vaccination AND/OR evidence of natural immunity. My sincerest thanks to those who have uploaded thus far. We jumped up another percentage point in the last seven days. Let’s keep that 70% goal in our sights!  

You might be interested to know what data the University Pandemic Task Force uses to recommend the safety measures we maintain at CSU. In short, the combination of how readily COVID-19 is spreading in the community and how likely individuals are to be exposed to the virus results in a measurement called “level of community transmission.” The CDC takes two numbers into account: total new cases and percent positivity. Levels are then broken into four categories: low, moderate, substantial, and high.  

Here’s a summary and a visual that depicts community transmission levels: 

Currently, Charleston and surrounding counties remain in the “substantial transmission” level, and we‘re all looking forward to entering the moderate transmission level so we can confidently move to a mask-optional posture indoors.

Our Numbers

Here are our numbers as of November 15, 2021: 

• TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN ISOLATION: 11
  Of these 11 students, 1 is being housed on campus,  and 10 are isolating off campus. 7 are confirmed positive, 4 are pending.
• TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN QUARANTINE: 9
  Of these 9 students, 2 are being housed on campus,  and 7 are quarantining off campus.  
• TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN ISOLATION: 0
• TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN QUARANTINE: 2

ISOLATION is reserved for actively symptomatic or known positive cases, and QUARANTINE is reserved for those who have been identified as a close contact of someone who is positive or who has symptoms. People in QUARANTINE are NOT ill – we are simply watching them to ensure they do not become symptomatic. LEARN MORE

Community Immunity Status

As of November 16, 2021:

• Students: 38.1%
• Faculty and Staff: 68.2%
• TOTAL: 42.8%

Our goal is to reach 70% community immunity on campus, which includes proof of vaccination and/or evidence of natural immunity among those who have recently been infected with COVID-19. Natural immunity includes those who have had a positive COVID test July 1, 2021, or later. 

Health Resources

SCDHEC and MAKO Medical continues to offer convenient and FREE PCR testing under the white tent in the football stadium parking lot.  The opportunity is available  from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. every weekday.  Should the opportunity continue, we will let you know.

Fetter Health Care, our on-campus healthcare partner, is in the Student Center lot every Wednesday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. In addition to walk-up appointments for your medical needs, Fetter offers immunizations and rapid testing with advance notice. To book vaccines, COVID tests, or to schedule an appointment off campus, call 843-466-6129.
   
Please continue to reach out to Dr. Laurel  Glover  if you’re experiencing symptoms, have been exposed to the virus, or otherwise find it necessary to pursue testing. Do NOT go to class or to work if you feel sick.  Take care of yourself and others by staying home.   

Event and Meeting Guidelines

In planning any event on or off campus, employees and students must submit their proposal at least two weeks prior via the Event Form. Please do not email your event to the task force. It is important to submit via the application link in order to receive a timely response.    

With COVID numbers on a current decline and Community Immunity percentages on the rise, the task force recommended a few changes to our guidelines: 

• Visitors may not attend events at CSU,  with the exception of the Office of Enrollment and outdoor sporting events.
• Lightsey Chapel’s maximum capacity increased to 750 (50% of seating) on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.
• All campus meetings are highly recommended to be conducted virtually for now.  However, meetings may be conducted in person and indoors in small numbers, with masks. Food is best served and eaten outdoors.

Stay #BUCSAFE

Last week, I was inspired by the amount of Operation Christmas Child boxes that seemed to pour onto tables around the Reflection Pond. As of Thursday, we had 6,350 packed shoeboxes in the back of a semi-truck headed to North Carolina for processing. Thousands of boys and girls around the world will receive a wondrous surprise, including the gift of hearing the Gospel message. Praise the Lord! 

I can’t wait to hit that 10,000-mark tomorrow night. BUCS surely do WIN at CSU, especially in the things that matter most in this life and the next. Thank you for giving to a cause so much bigger than yourself. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9), and so do I. 

As always, Bucs, let’s spread the Word, not the virus.  

Related Stories