Dear Community Members,
I am happy to report that current public health data suggests that the post-holiday Omicron-fueled surge has peaked in our area. Positive cases are declining across the Commonwealth, including here in Salem. This is good news, and I am hopeful that we can finally see the light at the end what has been a very long tunnel.
Given this encouraging data, I am writing to confirm that courses with an in-person component will start meeting in-person beginning on Monday, January 31, as planned. Students, this means that if a course that you registered for has an in-person component, you will begin attending this course on campus on its scheduled day and time starting next week.
In addition, offices and departments that had an on-campus presence during the fall semester will be returning to campus under similar conditions beginning on Monday, January 31. If you are unclear about what this means for you, please contact your supervisor.
A reminder that as we return to campus, we will continue to utilize the following COVID-19 health and safety protocols to help keep our campus community as healthy and safe as possible:
- Requiring masks indoors;
- Physical distancing;
- Using CoVerified for daily symptom checks;
- Requiring that our campus community be vaccinated against COVID-19, including receiving a booster.
In addition, we encourage all students, faculty and staff to get tested before returning to campus, regardless of their vaccination status. Free is available to all students and employees. Free testing is also available in the .
Thank you for your continued diligence, flexibility and support.
I look forward to seeing many of you back on campus next week.
Sincerely,
John D. Keenan
President