Harding University canceled the first week of chapel for the 2022 spring semester to assess the health of the campus community while the omicron variant of COVID-19, which is known for its high transmissibility rate, spread throughout the U.S. Chapel resumed Tuesday, Jan. 18 after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
“Postponing chapel for a week allowed the University more time to monitor the health of our campus community,” Zach Neal, dean of students, said. “The delay also allowed more time for clear communication prior to starting our normal schedule.”
Students may opt to sit in a masked section.
According to the University website, thirty-six students and five faculty members were documented to be positive for COVID-19 as of Jan. 19, and 117 total have recovered since Jan. 10. Neal said it is too early in the semester to know where concentrations of COVID-19 infections have occurred among students and faculty, but informal social gatherings and small group travels have been the typical setting for infection to occur in previous semesters.
“The University continues to emphasize the importance of good hygiene and self-monitoring,” Neal said. “COVID-19 screening and testing will continue at Health Services, and there will be opportunities for free vaccinations and boosters on campus.”
The clinics will be held Jan. 27 and Feb. 3.
Harding has also instituted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) updated isolation and quarantine recommendations. Students and faculty are now required to isolate for at least five full days after testing positive for COVID-19. Students may return to class if they are symptom free for 24 hours after the fifth day of isolation and are required to wear a mask for five more days upon returning to class. Students are not required to wear a mask on campus or during University regulated activities if they have not been close contacted or received a positive COVID-19 test result.
“As always, our goal is to provide all students an opportunity for normalcy and connection by staying engaged in the classroom and campus activities while remaining healthy and safe,” Neal said. “We will closely watch all COVID situations on campus, stay informed of CDC guidelines and remain prepared to make any necessary protocol changes moving forward.”
Junior Meleri York quarantined in Fayetteville, Arkansas, after she learned she was in close contact with a student who tested positive for COVID-19, and she later received a call from the Office of Student Life. She said she was told to get tested for COVID-19 in five days, but the instructions given to her were vague. York also said that during her call with Student Life, the worker said the office was overwhelmed with the amount of COVID-19 cases affecting the school.
“I feel like [the Office of Student Life] could’ve done a better job in telling me exactly the steps I needed to take,” York said.
York became symptomatic and attempted to test for COVID-19 multiple times, but she was unable to because each time the line was too long at her testing site.
The University also announced its compliance with President Biden’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emergency temporary standard requirement for employers with 100 or more workers to become vaccinated or be tested weekly, citing fines of up to $14,000 per violation. The mandate would have gone fully into effect Feb. 9 had the Supreme Court not blocked the policy by a 6-3 ruling.
David Ross, assistant vice president for human resources, sent an email to Harding employees regarding the Supreme Court’s decision Jan. 13.
“We learned today that the Supreme Court of the United States has blocked OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring a vaccination and/or mask and testing policy. Therefore, effective immediately the mask requirement for unvaccinated employees is lifted.”
The court’s ruling does not affect quarantine or isolation guidelines. Harding’s COVID-19 case totals are updated each weekday and can be found at https://www.harding.edu/covid.
