Updates on TU response to COVID-19
December 17, 2021
The following message is being sent on behalf of the COVID Response Leadership Team:
Dear Towson University students, faculty & staff,
Health and safety on campus remains the top priority. We continue to closely monitor
the individual cases and data trends of COVID-19 both on campus and in the surrounding
community.
As we shared with campus via email on Thursday we have seen an increase in positive
COVID cases. The data is monitored daily.
A review of the data this morning revealed a significant increase over a 24-hour period
among the student population. In the last 24 hours, the University Health Center has
received reports of 112 new positive cases, the vast majority of them among the student
population. The number of positive cases among faculty and staff remain in the single
digits.
This morning, our COVID Response Leadership Team also consulted TU's Medical Advisory
Committee, an independent board of medical experts that is routinely consulted to
inform TU's data-based decisions around the pandemic.
Based upon that data, TU is implementing the following changes to campus activity
as follows:
• Final exams will move to virtual modality beginning at 5 p.m. today.
• All dining hall service will change to carry-out / grab-and-go service, effective
5 p.m. today.
That said, the university is not closing.
Today's decisions were driven by the effort to de-densify settings where large gatherings
are taking place.
TU announced in September plans to postpone December commencement to May.
Additionally, the following changes were announced in a message to campus on Thursday:
• All non-academic and non-essential indoor events through the end of December that
involve food and drink are now canceled.
• Large events of over 750 attendees will be limited to 50 percent of capacity.
• These event-based changes are in effect through Dec. 31, 2021.
It is important to report any COVID-19 symptoms or exposures to infected individuals.
Always report by filling out the Tigers Care QuickScan immediately — regardless of
your vaccination status. Completing a QuickScan prompts a response process through
the University Health Center and begins the contact tracing process in partnership
with the Baltimore County Department of Health.
Anyone who reports a positive case or symptoms through the QuickScan will receive
an email from the University Health Center (UHC) that requires them to refrain from
coming to campus until contacted with specific instructions by UHC staff. For students,
this and subsequent UHC communications can be shared by the student with a faculty
member if the student is advised to remain in isolation or quarantine.
Those who remain unvaccinated are urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce
the risk of serious illness or hospitalization.
In addition to COVID-19 vaccination and booster inoculations, all members of our community
are strongly encouraged to get a flu shot. Students can contact the University Health
Center to learn more about flu vaccinations on campus. Staff and faculty are encouraged
to reach out to healthcare providers or local pharmacies to make an appointment for
a flu vaccine. Additional opportunities will continue to be shared to our community
via email.
TU continues to require all students, faculty and staff to follow health and safety
measures currently in place including the proper use of masks in all indoor public
spaces on campus. Masks will remain a requirement throughout the remainder of the
semester in all public university spaces and while utilizing campus transportation.
Thank you for your continued support of our community and for showing how much Tigers
Care. We will continue to provide updated information to protect the health and safety
of our entire TU community.
Sincerely,
Melanie Perreault, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
Chair, TU COVID Response Leadership Team