Category: Alerts

COVID-19 Update – 03/26/2020

Clemson University received confirmation an individual affiliated with the University has tested positive for COVID-19.

The individual self-identified upon having symptoms and has not been in any University building since prior to becoming symptomatic. This person reached out to their healthcare provider for guidance, has been self-quarantining at home, and maintaining phone contact with health providers.

In addition, individuals in direct contact with the patient before the patient became symptomatic were notified of the testing, have been in self-quarantine since that time, and have not shown any symptoms.

Clemson University officials continue to closely monitor COVID-19 and are actively engaged in daily planning in an effort to inform and reduce the risk to faculty, staff, students and visitors from the virus. University officials are committed to providing ongoing, accurate information to our entire community through the university website at Clemson.edu/coronavirus.

Clemson University continues to encourage all individuals to follow guidance provided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC):

Individuals with signs of illness should stay at home and not attend public gatherings. South Carolinians are encouraged to monitor for symptoms, practice social distancing, avoid touching frequently touched items, and regularly wash their hands, especially after being in a public place.

Anyone with concerns about their health should reach out to their healthcare provider or use the telehealth services provided by several health care systems. For telehealth options and the latest information about DHEC’s COVID-19 response efforts, please visit scdhec.gov/COVID-19. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health.

“Residents should not expect individual notification that they were exposed to a case, rather everyone should practice social distancing, stay home and stay away from other people if they’re sick, and wash their hands frequently with soap and water,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC physician consultant.

RESOURCES

Clemson University’s COVID-19 Information Page
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
SC-DHEC COVID-19 Information Page
University Call Center, 864-365-0555

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Issued in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, a federal law originally known as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, that mandates timely notices to the campus community. The Clery Act is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education.

Clemson University officials continue to closely monitor COVID-19 and are actively engaged in daily planning in an effort to inform and reduce the risk to faculty, staff, students and visitors from the virus. As of today, March 20, at 4 p.m., the University can confirm the following:

• No confirmed cases at any Clemson campus or facility.
• Online instruction has been implemented following spring break, through the remainder of the semester. In addition, no programs, events or activities will be held through May 8.
• All students, faculty and staff returning from international travel must contact University health services (864-656-2457) to undergo thorough medical screening.

ONLINE INSTRUCTION

As previously announced, on Monday Clemson University will move fully to online instruction for all classes at all campuses for the remainder of the spring semester. Provost Jones sent a correspondence to undergraduate faculty and students outlining academic resources, and you can find all of those tools on our COVID-19 website.

We know this is a tremendous shift for many of our students and faculty, and there may be complications along the way, and appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during these unusual circumstances.

We are urging students who do not need to return to the area or to campus to stay away while campus is operating in online instruction mode.

HOUSING AND DINING

As President Clements announced yesterday, the general closure of our residence halls announced this week has been extended through the end of the semester. On-campus housing will remain available only to those students who have previously been granted permission to stay due to an extenuating circumstance. Our Residential Life team is working on a plan to allow all others to return to campus to gather their belongings in a manner consistent with good public health practices. That information will be communicated in the coming days.

We are working with the state’s Commission on Higher Education on a plan to address students’ investments in housing and dining services. Details will be communicated as soon as they are available.

All Clemson events, activities and gatherings are suspended at least through the end of the academic semester, May 8.

FOOD INSECURITY ASSISTANCE

Clemson University is working to assess how many students, faculty and staff in the local area may be in need of temporary assistance with food during the closure of campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The university is seeking to assist its hourly wage employees who are unable to report to work, as well as students who do not live on campus and either cannot go home or do not have a meal plan.

If you are in need of food assistance, please click here to take a short survey about your needs. The survey will help us learn whether you have food needs and determine possible solutions.

FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS

For the past two weeks, our team has provided daily updates via email. As we move into modified operations beginning next week, we will cease sending daily updates and only communicate with the full campus community on an as-necessary basis. Communications to specific audiences will continue, including tools and resources for those conducting online learning and the business operations of the University. We appreciate everyone’s attention during this period of uncertainty and wish everyone health and safety as we conclude the semester online.

Issued by University Relations

To the Clemson Community:

These are challenging times unlike anything I have seen in more than 30 years of working in higher education. I know many of you are concerned about your health, and the health of your loved ones – we are, too.

In fact, every decision we have made over the past few weeks – and the ones we will make in the coming weeks – has been with the well-being of the Clemson Family in mind.

In that spirit, and in alignment with the guidance from Gov. McMaster this afternoon, I am providing the Clemson community with the following update regarding University operations for the remainder of the current semester:

• Classes at all Clemson University locations will be delivered online for the rest of this semester. We have been preparing diligently for this possibility, and I am confident that our faculty is more than capable of delivering high-quality content to our students so that their academic progress is not hindered.
• The general closure of our residence halls announced this week will be extended through the end of the semester. On-campus housing will remain available only to those students who have previously been granted permission to stay due to an extenuating circumstance. Our Residential Life team is working on a plan to allow all others to return to campus to gather their belongings in a manner consistent with good public health practices. That information will be communicated in the coming days.
• We are working with the state’s Commission on Higher Education on a plan to address students’ investments in housing and dining services. Details will be communicated as soon as they are available.
• All Clemson events, activities and gatherings are suspended at least through the end of the academic semester, May 8.
• We have decided to postpone our May commencement ceremonies. Degrees will be conferred upon all those who meet graduation requirements, and we will explore alternatives to celebrate our newest graduates at a later date. Commencement is a highlight of each academic year and postponing ceremonies this spring is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, this public health emergency left us no other responsible choice. Rest assured, however, that we will do everything in our power to create a memorable experience for our graduates.
• Finally, all non-essential University employees will be required to work remotely until further notice. Employees are encouraged to make use of videoconferencing and other virtual technologies to conduct meetings to the greatest extent possible and to continue to exercise social distancing principles at all times.

These are extraordinary times, and the situation continues to evolve rapidly. I know these actions, while necessary, will inconvenience many and may prove to be a burden for some among the Clemson Family, but we are there for you.

Please know that the entire University leadership team is dedicated to providing answers to all your questions as quickly as feasible and, to the best of our ability, providing solutions to the challenges that may arise for members of our community.

I am beyond thankful to all the Clemson employees who have worked tirelessly – and in many cases, around-the-clock – these past few weeks to respond to the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic. Additionally, I want to offer a special thanks to our faculty who have moved quickly to prepare for online instruction so that we can continue to serve our students. You all have exhibited the very best of the Clemson spirit and for that I am grateful.

To all our employees, the coming weeks will be challenging as we adjust to a new temporary mode of working remotely. And for those who aren’t in a position to work remotely, the uncertainty is especially stressful.

We don’t have all the answers yet for how we are going to be able to support our employees in this crisis, but I can promise you we are steadfastly committed to working with the state and others to help our employees – especially our most vulnerable workers.

Finally, I want to leave everyone with a sentiment I shared with the executive leadership team during a meeting this week: First and foremost, take care of yourselves and those you love. Nothing is more important than health and family.

This is a serious situation, but we’re going to get through it by using common sense and by being kind, patient and thoughtful toward one another, especially the members of society most vulnerable to this pandemic. We are blessed to be part of a wonderful community of caring individuals who want nothing but the best for one another, and we’ll emerge from this pandemic strong and ready to tackle the future.

As always, the University is here to help in any way possible. We will continue to update the community regularly on our response to the pandemic through e-mail, social media and our comprehensive COVID update web site.

Please take care of yourselves and one another. I can’t wait to see everyone back on our campuses when it is safe to do so.

Go Tigers!

Jim Clements
President

Clemson University officials continue to closely monitor COVID-19 and are actively engaged in daily planning in an effort to inform and reduce the risk to faculty, staff, students and visitors from the virus.

As of today, March 18, at 5 p.m., the University can confirm the following:

• No confirmed cases at any Clemson campus or facility.
• Zero cases at Clemson campuses or facilities being monitored.
• Online instruction has been implemented following spring break, through at least Sunday, April 5. In addition, no programs, events or activities will be held through the same timeframe.
• All students, faculty and staff returning from international travel must contact University health services (864-656-2457) to undergo thorough medical screening.

ON-CAMPUS HOUSING UPDATE

Clemson student residents were notified earlier this week of the University’s housing modifications. All requests to remain in student housing due to extenuating circumstances were due today by 5 p.m., March 18. We received more than 1,000 requests, and nearly all have received a decision on the status of their request.

Access to all residence halls and apartments to all who do not have an approved request will be restricted beginning on Thursday, March 19 at 5 p.m.

EMPLOYEE SUPPORT INFORMATION

CCIT has developed guides for our students, faculty, and staff as a primer for technologies to help you succeed while working remotely. This page provides an introduction to relevant technologies, explains why they are important, and provides resources for getting started with each.

The Office of Human Resources has also developed this page to assist supervisors in implementing remote work.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND RESOURCES

As we prepare for online instruction to begin next week, many of our faculty have been working this week to ensure the transition from in-person instruction to online delivery is as seamless as possible. Faculty can find resources for online instruction on the academic continuity page, and Clemson Online will continue to host virtual drop-ins via a virtual meeting space throughout the week of spring break for assistance, information or training as faculty prepares for the transition. Join us virtually anytime from 8:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. through Friday, March 20. If you have technical issues, please reach out to CCIT support at IThelp@clemson.edu.

RESEARCH OPERATIONS

The modified operations of the University have brought about several questions about research work at Clemson. We have attempted to answer those questions as best as possible with the current information available on our COVID-19 Research Continuity webpage found on the Clemson COVID website. As the situation continues to evolve, the page will be updated as new information becomes available.

Issued by University Relations

Clemson University officials continue to closely monitor COVID-19 and are actively engaged in daily planning in an effort to inform and reduce the risk to faculty, staff, students and visitors from the virus. As of today, March 17, at 5 p.m., the University can confirm the following:

• No positive tests at any Clemson campus or facility.
• Online instruction has been implemented following spring break, through at least Sunday, April 5.
• All programs, events or activities are suspended through at least April 5.
• All students, faculty and staff returning from international travel must contact University health services (864-656-2457) to undergo thorough medical screening.

REFUNDS, CREDITS, COMMENCEMENT AND OTHER ITEMS

The top priority of our University leadership is the safety of our students, faculty and staff, and mitigating the spread of this virus. We know financial concerns are top of mind for many in our Clemson community, and we are working diligently to provide answers as soon as possible. Similarly, many families have plans to travel for commencement and other events, and we understand the desire for quick information. As soon as decisions are made, we will communicate them to everyone.

EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

Our Office of Human Resources has worked diligently with the State of South Carolina Division of State Human Resources (DSHR) and advises our faculty and staff to visit with their supervisors and department heads by phone and email to explore options involving working remotely, alternative work schedules and leave to promote social distancing.

We have received many questions from employees and supervisors about their options with respect to COVID-19, working remotely, pay, leave, etc. You will find an array of resources at the end of this email.

Supervisors and department heads are encouraged to arrange for employees to work remotely, if this can be achieved while still allowing the university to accomplish its important missions. We know that this is a complex and difficult situation to juggle. Clemson University cares about our employees and their families, and we are committed to their health and safety.

Read a Special Message with Employee Instructions from the Office of Human Resources, and more information and resources for employees can be found on the University’s COVID-19 Faculty and Staff Resources website.

SCAMS AND PHISHING

Be aware of scams and misinformation. The University will only communicate updates regarding COVID-19 via Inside Clemson emails and our official University social channels.  Information regarding online scams are provided on the Cyber Security Alerts page located at https://ccit.clemson.edu/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-alerts/.

RESOURCES
Clemson University’s COVID-19 Information Page
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
SC-DHEC COVID-19 Information Page
University Call Center, 864-365-0555