Dear Members of the Seminary Community:
This upcoming March 13th will mark the two year anniversary since Seminary of the Southwest closed our campus, formed the COVID-19 task Force, and began the journey of reinventing ourselves in light of an unprecedented challenge. I am grateful to be a part of a community that is intentional in navigating these difficult conversations around policy that prioritize both our communal health and our commitment to the high-quality education and formation each of you are here to receive.
This ‘reinvention’ has been a series of decisions that are not made lightly, and involve a large group of representatives from all areas of campus life that form our COVID-19 Task Force.
Today, with the recommendation of the COVID-19 Task Force, I write to inform you about a change in the seminary’s COVID-19 policies relating to masking and gatherings.
As we have previously indicated, the COVID-19 policy decisions of Seminary of the Southwest have been and continue to be informed by guidance from public health authorities. The CDC’s recently updated guidance is that people in a low risk environment stay up to date (fully vaccinated and boosted) with vaccines and get tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms.
The CDC now also indicates that masks are optional in low risk environments, unless you are at high risk for severe illness. Travis County is now defined as a ‘low-risk environment.’
Further, on Tuesday, Travis County moved to Stage 3 of its Risk Based Guidelines.
In view of these findings and revised guidance from public health authorities, the seminary is revising our masking and gathering policies as follows:
Effective Monday, March 7, 2022, the seminary community will observe the following campus protocols:
For all persons who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations:
· Masking indoors in all spaces (including classrooms, Knapp Auditorium, Christ Chapel, and administrative offices) and outdoors is optional for all gatherings of any size.
· Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible.
· Howell Dining Hall will be reopened for in-person dining without masks.
For all persons who are not up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations:
· Masking indoors at all times in all spaces is required.
· Masking is optional outdoors.
· Continue to dine outdoors without a mask.
Except as provided above, the seminary’s COVID-19 policies and protocol remain unaltered for the time being.
Many in our community will- and are welcome to – continue to wear masks in settings no longer required by policy. I urge us all to continue to make healthy accomodations for this, and to not make assumptions about the reason. As time goes by it is my hope that masking can be used by each of us as needed for the sake of one’s own health and the health of others.
Finally, please accept my sincere gratitude for your diligence in masking and in maintaining a high vaccination rate these past two years. Our community has been fortunate in avoiding significant outbreaks, despite the close nature of our physical gathering. With thanks to God we receive the welcome news of the significant decline in community spread and hospitalizations, and we are pleased to revise our policies as described above beginning March 7.
Yours faithfully,
Cynthia
