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Covid Cases on Campus Andrew Wilson News Editor The semester is in full swing, but with it have come several COVID cases. According to the SNHU COVID-19 Dashboard (locatable at snhu.edu/ about-us/covid-19/dashboard), there is one student positive on campus. The Dashboard states that it is updated weekly and “serves as a way to offer transparency to the SNHU and surrounding communities.” However, that information is from the testing period ending on September 30. The information was published on October 5, meaning that the Dashboard is already five days out date. In reality, the number of positive cases is higher. The procedure for students with confirmed COVID cases is to quarantine the student for ten days, regardless of vaccination status. While that is happening, the COVID Taskforce (working with Public Safety) conduct contact tracing. Students may have noticed paper flyers on the doors to some buildings on campus. These flyers titled “COVID-19
NOTIFICATION,” are some of the only ways to track the number of cases on campus, and where they were located, as the Dashboard is out of date. However even this method is inconsistent, as a case from Kingston, self tested on September 11, and confirmed by SNHU on September 13, had no flyers posted about it until September 16, a full five days after the first test. Students will also notice that in the two update weeks from August 27 to September 2 and from September 3 to September 9, according to the Dashboard there were no COVID cases on campus. However, some students may remember seeing flyers posted on Robert Frost Hall and SETA on September 1 and Washington Hall on September 8 stating that there were COVID-positive students on campus. That is because until September 8, the COVID Dashboard did not track any confirmed positive cases not done by SNHU tests, even if the university posted flyers about them on buildings
that they had been in. The information on the Dashboard does not include the positive cases from October 1, being a student living in Lincoln Hall and the student living in Windsor Hall, which was posted at the dining hall four days before the Dashboard’s update. Because the testing date was after the period of September 24 to September 30, that case will not be reported until Tuesday October 12. “The SNHU COVID-19 Dashboard is updated weekly on Tuesday mornings in order to provide accurate numbers after our weekly testing occurs,” said Siobhan Lopez, Assistant Director of Media Relations, in an email. However Tuesday, October 5 came and went and the Dashboard was only updated to the information available on Thursday, September 30. When asked why the Dashboard is only being updated weekly, Lopez said, “If SNHU increases testing protocols on campus, the frequency of the updates may also change.”
“Home Sweet Homecoming” to Proceed Virtually for Fall Semester Taylor Posik A&E Co-Editor Homecoming season is around the corner for SNHU and students are gearing up for the festivities. However, it has been announced that Homecoming will move forward virtually for the 2021 fall semester. “For the safety of our entire community, Homecoming will be virtual this year,” said Associate Director of Student Involvement Colleen Lubin. “The University has put our current COVID-19 policies in place to protect our campus community, including limiting the number of external guests.” In-person events will be hosted but will be limited to current campus students. Homecomings
have previously hosted around 3000 external guests which often included children. Past activities have included rides, making stuffed animals and a fireworks display. Since 2012, Homecoming has become a fall tradition. It allows students a reprieve from their demanding schedules and gives them a chance to connect with others. “I love Homecoming because of the greater sense of community that it creates,” said CAPE President Justin Kaminski (‘23). A virtual homecoming will allow alumni and other guests to participate in the festivities while social distancing.
Students will still be able to enjoy time with their off-campus friends and family outside of class. Staff and students can also look forward to this year’s Homecoming T-shirts. They will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. “You can expect to see some of our favorite traditions including a virtual 5K, painting, a magic show, music, comedy and of course Big Money Bingo,” said Lubin. Homecoming will take place from Thursday, October 14 through Sunday, October 17. More information can be found at alumni.snhu.edu/ homecoming.
