covid-19 task force
No COVID-19 changes anticipation for spring semester
As students prepare for the close of the fall semester and are scheduling their trips home, USD doesn’t anticipate having to make any adjustments for COVID-19 come the spring semester. Kevin O’Kelley, head of the COVID-19 Taskforce, said while numbers are lower than the university anticipated, it’s important to remember that these cases are not […]
Vermillion Schools and their procedures for COVID
The Vermillion School District (VSD) has a “Return to School Plan” in place where masks are not enforced unless a building surpasses a certain COVID threshold. Masks are required for two weeks until COVID numbers are bellow the threshold The superintendent for the VSD is Damon Alvey keeps everyone in the school district informed weekly […]
COVID-19 on campus: looking back, looking forward
The tide may be turning on the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, with a decline in new cases nationally and regionally and with South Dakota’s Board of Regents seeking a more “normal” fall semester on USD’s campus. In response to this, USD student organizations, Vermillion businesses and local government leaders are looking to bring […]
People ages 16 and up can receive COVID-19 vaccine
The first wave of students eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine were students who worked in clinical care settings and those who had underlaying heath conditions. On Monday, statewide eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine was extended to all residents 16 and older, according to a press release from the USD COVID-19 Task Force. This includes all […]
Board of Regents announces intentions for “normal” fall semester
College life at USD saw many changes during the 2020-21 school year after a surge in the pandemic. Life on campus was full of mask-wearing students who were told to stay six feet apart at all times. For many of the students, a schedule full of Zoom classes became a new normal, but that is soon […]
USD spring semester COVID plans and vaccine rollout
The spring semester is underway, and while classes and professors may change from the fall, one thing hasn’t. The COVID-19 pandemic is still a threat to campus life and classrooms, yet USD is prepared to handle any outbreaks and the upcoming vaccine rollout this spring. As students are welcomed back to campus all staff and […]
USD faculty prepares for finals week, looks back on semester
As the semester starts to wind down, students and faculty are preparing for finals week. While students normally return to campus after Thanksgiving and finish off their classes before the holiday break, this semester classes will finish remotely. Kurt Hackemer, USD provost and vice president for academic affairs, said looking back on the fall semester, he […]
USD, Department of Health partner to monitor COVID-19 cases on campus
As of Oct. 20, the USD COVID-19 dashboard was reporting 41 active cases among students and faculty, with 174 individuals in quarantine or isolation. All statistics provided in the dashboard are self reported, and there are no requirements in place for USD students to report if they have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19. Kevin […]
Survey shows approval for USD COVID-19 response
A USD survey of students who tested positive for COVID-19 or spent time in isolation or quarantine showed students have had a positive experience with the university’s response to the pandemic this semester. The survey, conducted between Sept. 14 and Sept. 28 by the USD COVID-19 Task Force, showed almost unanimous approval of the university’s […]
USD implements random COVID-19 tests for asymptomatic campus population
To assess whether it needs to implement further safety measures on campus, USD has begun weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing of asymptomatic students and staff. Kevin O’Kelley, member of USD’s COVID-19 task force, said the testing of asymptomatic students and staff is one of three COVID-19 testing programs on campus. The second is the testing of […]