College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu shared the following message with students regarding COVID-19 protocols and safety on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021:
Dear Campus Community,ย
I know this has been a tough week, a tough semester, even a tough year for so many of us.ย
As you may have heard in the news this week, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced that two patients in South Carolina have contracted the โSouth Africanโ variant of the virus. One of the patients is reported to be from the Lowcountry.ย ย
I mention this new development to underscore the importance of every member of our campus community continuing to adhere to all rules, protocols and laws related to COVID-19. Earlier this week, I asked our campus community to stay committed to our health and safety protocols in order to meet the challenge, and, together, we have done well.ย
That said, please know that the College continues to mitigate and closely monitor any case spread in our community. These measures include mandatory testing for students, continuing to allow remote work for many employees and giving faculty discretion to temporarily move in-person and hybrid classes entirely online. At the same time, the College is doing everything it can to be as flexible as possible in individual circumstances.ย
Based on my faith in our Cougar community members and our talented and dedicated leadership teams across campus, I believe that we can manage through this most recent spike of positive cases, especially if our campus community continues to adhere to our health and safety requirements both on and off campus.ย ย
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But please know, we are prepared to quickly adjust these plans if necessary. Yes, we will pivot at a momentโs notice, if and when necessary.ย ย
I encourage anyone who is struggling in any way now to reach out and take advantage of the Collegeโs support services. They are there for you. For our students, please reach out to our Counseling Services, Students 4 Support, and your faculty or staff members with whom you work closely. And for employees, please reach out to our Employee Assistance Program.ย ย ย
I know these are tough times, but we already have proven that we can rise to the challenges presented by this pandemic, and I am confident that we, together, can overcome what lies ahead.ย ย
Go Cougars!ย
Andrew
Andrew T.ย Hsu,ย Ph.D.
President
College of Charlestonย
