Monday, September 21, 2020

As we near the first official day of fall, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for adapting to the changes UNCW has made to address challenges caused by the pandemic. A lot has happened since classes began just over a month ago, and yet, here we are, still working together to offer the in-person learning and on-campus living experiences that are so important to many students and their families as well as many faculty and staff. 
 
At the same time, we also are providing great online and hybrid courses, exciting virtual community events, advanced research opportunities, and so much more, all because of the dedication, creative problem-solving and Seahawk spirit that you bring to the UNCW community each day. Thank you.
 
We have several campus updates to share with you. Please see the information below for announcements that may be relevant to you.
 
Mask Spotter Monday and Teal Mask Tuesday
Housing and Residence Life, Campus Dining and the Student Health Center are collaborating to recognize and reward students who make a daily habit out of wearing masks when they are near others, both inside and outside.
 
Each week, on Mask Spotter Monday and Teal Mask Tuesday, Housing’s student marketing assistants will traverse campus to give out prizes, including Chick-fil-A and Panda Express coupons, to students who are spotted wearing their masks. At other times, peer educators from the Student Health Center will circulate around campus to give mask-wearing students hand sanitizer, stickers and other prizes. 
 
Other departments and divisions are invited to join this effort. Consider setting up your own “prize patrols.” New signage to emphasize mask wearing with few exceptions will be placed on the university’s website and social media sites today and around campus this week. Contact OUR at our@uncw.edu for more information about acquiring signage to support this effort. 

None of us knows for certain what direction the virus might take next, but we do know that closely following the 3Ws (wearing masks, waiting 6 feet apart, and washing hands) is our best line of defense against increased illness. The cases of COVID-19 on our campus have been trending downward in recent days, and we need the campus community’s help to keep going in this positive direction. 
 
Campus Housing De-Densification Update
The university’s proactive effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus by de-densifying residence halls has affected almost every resident to some degree and has been especially difficult for those students who had to move. We can’t thank them - or our Resident Assistants - enough for their patience, flexibility and resilience over the past two weeks as we have worked to reduce the number of double-occupancy rooms on campus. As of today, 93 percent of our residential students now reside in single rooms. Housing and Residence Life staff are working with a small number of students to finalize their moves this week.
 
Reminder: Free COVID-19 Testing at the Student Health Center
The UNCW Student Health Center is offering COVID-19 tests free-of-charge to students via funding made available through the CARES Act. Students, if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please call the Student Health Center at 910.962.3280 to make an appointment; walk-in appointments are not available. Asymptomatic students may also be tested at the Student Health Center if needed, for example, before traveling, visiting family, moving to a new location, or if their job requires a test.
 
Reach out to coronavirus@uncw.edu for more information.
 
NCDHHS to Launch SlowCOVIDNC App
This week, the NC Department of Health and Human Services will launch SlowCOVIDNC, a new app designed to proactively notify users about potential exposures and enable them to act quickly to protect themselves and their communities. 
 
The more people who use SlowCOVIDNC on campus and within the surrounding community, the more effective it will be in slowing the spread of the virus. Using SlowCOVIDNC is entirely voluntary, and users can enable or disable it at any time. The app is designed to protect users’ privacy.
 
Thank you again for your ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of our campus community. We are all in this together, and we are making it work. We know there will be more challenges to come, but if we can continue to support one another, to offer each other grace and compassion, and to embrace flexibility as much as possible, we will emerge from this time an even stronger and better Seahawk community.
 
Campus COVID-19 Resources
Daily Health AssessmentBest for the Nest“Be a Safer Seahawk” Training
Data Dashboard