Springtime at Meredith College brings many important traditions, but in 2021 there is a new requirement for all community members with plans to return to campus. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, President Jo Allen sent an email to all undergraduate students and faculty stating that all persons returning to campus for any reason are required to submit a negative test result for COVID-19. Meredith's entrance testing plan for the Spring 2021 semester is guided by state and federal recommendations, the scientific and clinical expertise of healthcare providers and the decisions of other higher education institutions such as North Carolina State University. This is an essential safety measure as the United States topped 20 million coronavirus cases on Jan. 1, 2021. Technology Services staff members have been hard at work developing a virtual system for students to report their test results. The platform requires students to sign in with their NetID and password and submit a file showing their negative result. Rapid test results will not be accepted because they are less reliable than a PCR test.
A student planning to return to campus who tests positive for COVID-19 may not come back to campus until she has quarantined and provided a negative test result. Students must contact the Student Health Center at healthcenter@meredith.edu or 919-760-8535 if their entrance test is positive. Non-student visitors will still be allowed on campus this spring, provided they monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and complete the CampusClear daily survey. Failure to report a positive test result or known exposure to someone testing positive is a violation of Meredith’s Community Standards, which were implemented in the fall to slow the spread of COVID-19 on campus.
On March 6, 2021, it will be one year since Meredith students started spring break and were unable to return to campus. This spring will be different than in years past, but students are aware of the expectations to keep Meredith a safe and healthy space. Meredith College will resume classes for the Spring 2021 semester on Wednesday, Jan. 13. Information about the entrance testing requirement, including further details about how to submit test results, is available on Meredith’s Staying Strong site.
Link for students to submit test results: https://cvdsubmit.meredith.edu/
By Claire Heins, Staff Writer