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August 27, 2020

This message was sent to University students, faculty and staff.

To Our University Community:

Within the past day, an individual on our campus was confirmed to have the first official positive case of COVID-19 of the fall semester. The individual was last on campus on Aug. 24, has not returned to campus since, and is recovering at home and is following protocols set by state health officials and the CDC. Our lead medical professional, Dr. Cheryl Hug-English, the director of the Student Health Center, has been working with the Washoe County Health District to further contact tracing efforts. On behalf of the University, I want extend the University’s thoughts, and wish this individual a quick and full recovery.

This first positive case of the semester is an important reminder that we must be diligent in our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The University has established numerous policies and procedures in an effort to promote the health of our University Community, including guidance for suspected or positive COVID-19 cases for students, faculty, employees and supervisors, located on our coronavirus web page. A list of the campus’ positive cases can be found at on our coronavirus cases page and includes a form through which you can report a positive case for yourself or for someone else.

The Student Health Center is offering COVID-19 testing, Monday-Friday mornings, for students, faculty and staff experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or who have been a close contact of someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Dr. Hug- English, our longtime director of the Student Health Center, is featured in this where she details COVID-19 testing procedures at the Student Health Center, answers questions on how to make an appointment, and explains important considerations such as what self-isolation means, and when an individual can safely return to class or to work.

The valuable work of the medical professionals at our Student Health Center is just one way our University is maintaining the health of our campus. A number of other important health and wellness resources are available on our “LiveWell” website. Dimensions for self-care for all individuals on our campus on the “LiveWell” website include the Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social and Spiritual. Amber Emerson, Health Educator for the Student Health Center, has an excellent NSights blog post, which explains how departments across campus have come together through the University Wellness Committee, to make the eight dimensions listed above come alive through the “LiveWell” website.

Our new fall semester is providing us with an opportunity to show we care about one another, and that we are doing the things necessary to keep our University Community healthy, including maintaining safe social distancing, wearing facial coverings, practicing good hygiene that includes frequent hand washing with sanitizer, and avoiding mass off-campus gatherings. Please continue to use all of the resources and information that are available to you. As Dr. Hug-English says in the video, “We are here for you … for your physical and mental health.”

Sincerely,

Marc A. Johnson
President