To our fellow Spartans,

We are extremely grateful and excited to have our peers back on campus for another academic year, as many Spartans have not been on campus since March of 2020, when our lives took an abrupt turn due to COVID-19. Alongside those returning, there are also Spartans who are experiencing our campus life for the first time. After being stripped from our old reality, there is a common desire to return back to that “normal;” but unfortunately COVID-19 is very much still in our new reality and must be approached appropriately to ensure the safety of our campus community. We recognize that there have been large gatherings being held on and off campus in hopes of promoting student body unity; however, there are safe and appropriate ways we can achieve this goal.

Trust us though, we understand. 

We understand the sense of community that we all have been longing for.
We understand that restrictions can be confusing as they are constantly changing.
We understand that people may feel more or less comfortable with our current state.

Yet as a community, we must take care of each other and this can only be done by adhering to the health and safety guidelines established by the University, guidelines that helped us become one of the few campuses that stayed in-person all of last year. We know the University continues to monitor activity on and off campus related to COVID-19, and will adjust campus guidelines accordingly throughout the fall semester. To ensure the possibility of staying on campus for another year, and protecting our fellow Spartans, we strongly encourage everyone to act with great caution and be mindful of their actions.

A year ago we did not have the opportunity to connect like we are able to now. We did not have the opportunity to sit in the same classroom as our peers, or to dine-in with our friends and loved ones. We had to live a life with distance and remote connection. A life with little to no engagement. A life that most of us do not want to return to.

As the Delta variant cases continue to rise every day, it is more evident now how vital it is for us to step up and do our part to protect our community. We strongly encourage ALL of our Spartans to get vaccinated, especially with the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine. More information about getting vaccinated can be found here. It does not stop there though, we must continue to take protective measures to help prevent further cases such as getting tested weekly, social distancing, and continuing to wear face coverings. 

Remember, we are all in this together, and for the sake of our Spartan community, we must do our part now. Please continue to stay safe, prioritize your mental health, and to practice responsible measures so we can end this pandemic for good.

Sincerely, 

Your Student Government Association