Dear Elmhurst University Community:
The new academic year is quickly approaching, and we will all be together once again. We will return with enthusiasm, hope, and gratitude toward our students, faculty, staff, and administration for their shared commitment to the well-being of our Bluejay community. We recognize that the pandemic continues, and that prudent health and safety protocols will be necessary. We write today to share encouraging data about vaccination rates within our campus community, as well as information about masking policies.
We are continually monitoring prevailing COVID-19 conditions, including the latest news on the Delta variant, nationally and locally. We continue to seek guidance from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the Illinois Depart of Public Health, and the DuPage County Health Department. As we have demonstrated in the past, we will adjust the University’s health and safety protocols to align with prevailing conditions.
Vaccination Rates
As of Aug. 13, 2021, our vaccination rates on campus are as follows:
- 99.4% of the faculty have reported being fully vaccinated.
- 92.4% of the administration have reported being fully vaccinated.
- 93.2% of the staff have reported being fully vaccinated or have received an exemption.
- 80% of the students have reported being fully vaccinated or have received an exemption.
We strongly encourage anyone who is not vaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccines are now readily available and are free of charge.
Masking
The Delta variant has rapidly become the most common form of the virus in Illinois and across the country. The Delta variant is much more contagious than previous versions of the virus, causing infected people to have substantially higher amounts of the virus in their system, and can be transmitted to others even by fully vaccinated people who contract the virus.
Therefore, we are updating our protocols to enhance the health and safety of our campus community, as well as follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, the University’s mask policy is as follows:
Masks must be worn in all University-owned and -operated facilities, except when you are alone in your office, at your workstation, or in your residence hall room. This applies to vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals on campus.
Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks outdoors except when an event specifically requires masks for all attendees.
When indoors, masks may be pulled away from your mouth while actively eating or drinking in the cafeteria or Bluejay Roost only. Otherwise, with the exception of private offices, workstations, and residence hall rooms, your mask should be worn properly at all times.
Faculty who are fully vaccinated and who are actively teaching in person may do so without a mask, provided they maintain at least six feet of physical distance at all times.
THIS MASK POLICY WILL BE IN EFFECT AT LEAST THROUGH THE SECOND WEEK OF THE TERM, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL RE-EVALUATE IT BASED ON GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH AGENCY GUIDELINES.
While we are confident in our plans—and the vaccination data shared above is something we should all be proud of—we know that vaccination rates are lower in our surrounding community, and that COVID-19 cases have been increasing. What that means for us is that we must remain committed to our individual health and safety, as well as that of our campus community, and adhere to masking and physical distancing recommendations and public health protocols whenever we leave this campus. That level of commitment will be essential in helping to ensure we have another successful academic year on campus.
The University cannot be successful without each and every one of us doing our part, both on and off campus.
We are looking forward to seeing you as we, together, recommit to a fall semester that sustains and celebrates Elmhurst’s distinctive education and community. We hope you enjoy the remainder of your summer, and we look forward to seeing you on campus very soon.
We thank you for your support and understanding as we prepare for the fall term. We will continue to provide updates as we monitor the pandemic and the changing health and government guidelines.
As always, please be safe and healthy.
Bluejay Proud,
The Elmhurst University COVID-19 Task Force