COVID-19 Update from the President

With midterms behind us, we are now in the home stretch until the semester’s end. Because of the faithful Bucs who follow the BUCSAFE Pledge and live out Jesus’s commands in Matthew 22:37-39, our campus continues to see low numbers in quarantine and isolation. We are now enjoying the fruits of your labor and grit, with a packed spring calendar ahead: a drive-in movie, spring formal, cruise, fair, football—to name a few! Please continue to stay BUCSAFE so that we can continue to make our way to the first of May.

Our Numbers

Here are our numbers as of March 9, 2021: 

• TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN ISOLATION: 16 
  Of these 16 students, 2 reside on campus, 14 reside off campus, and 9 are confirmed positive.
• TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN QUARANTINE: 21
  Of these 21 students, 9 reside on campus, 12 reside off campus. 
• TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN ISOLATION: 1 (1 confirmed positive)
• TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN QUARANTINE: 4

As a reminder, 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.

Graduation

A commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, April 30^th for August 2019, December 2019, and May 2020 graduates. Our grads from August 2020, December 2020, and May 2021 will walk the stage on Saturday, May 1^st. Both events will be held on CSU’s campus in the football stadium. For the benefit of our students and families, this will be a ticketed event and we expect to limit capacity to no more than two guests per graduate. 

Please note that the graduation committee will also have a rain plan should the weather be a factor. All graduates will receive emails and BucAlerts with pertinent information and announcements. Look out for more information in the coming weeks. If you do not currently receive BucAlerts, please ensure your information is up-to-date here.

Vaccine Availability

South Carolina advanced to Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccination plan on Monday, March 8. The following groups are eligible to make COVID-19 vaccination appointments: ages 55+, ages 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions, special needs persons, and frontline workers (i.e. K-12 and higher education, childcare, healthcare, law enforcement, transportation, retail, food service, government, etc.). For those interested in making an appointment, you can do so online at scdhec.gov/vaxlocator or call 1-866-365-8110. To learn more about the state’s plan, visit here. For additional information on COVID-19 vaccines, check out scdhec.gov/vaxfacts or charlestonsouthern.edu/bucsafe/resources.

Students and faculty members experiencing symptoms in the 24-48 hours immediately following their vaccine should reach out to Prof. Laurel Glover for direction regarding the need for short-term virtual attendance.

Stay #BUCSAFE

Anyone teaching, learning, or working on campus should complete the LiveSafe screening each day. Make it a part of your morning routine before you leave the house—some set a recurring weekday alarm on their phones as a reminder! Download the app at https://www.livesafemobile.com. 

Remember, you may reach out to the University Pandemic Task Force at covid19@csuniv.edu with questions or concerns. This email address is monitored Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Any emails received after 5 p.m. on Friday will be addressed on Monday.    

Stay safe, stay focused, stay healthy, and stay faithful to the Lord and His provision as we work together to continue enjoying a healthy CSU! As always, let’s spread the Word, not the virus.

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