Welcome back, Concordians!
We are excited to begin the 2021-22 academic year and have been preparing all summer for your return to a “normal,” in-person campus experience. Sadly, our plans have recently been altered as the Delta variant presents a new round of uncertainty.
Through God’s grace and with your patience, flexibility, and heightened concern for your neighbor, we can and will share a vibrant, robust, CONCORDIA experience, minimizing the risks to your health and wellness and maximizing our collective ability to live and learn together.
Guided by recommendations from the CDC and our local health authorities, we are reinstating some COVID-19 mitigation measures that served us well through the first wave of the pandemic.
All Concordians are expected to wear a mask or face covering while indoors, complete the Daily Symptoms Tracker, and stay home if you are sick. We also ask that you seriously consider getting vaccinated against COVID.
Unlike last year when we put measures into effect for a whole semester, if we determine that the situation has changed, then we will adjust our mitigation efforts more swiftly. Concordia’s COVID task force will provide weekly updates to the community.
Concordia’s leadership acknowledges that these safety measures are not perfect. Nevertheless, we believe that a measured and layered approach like this will reduce the risk of exposure on our campuses and improve our likelihood of in-person success.
We have received feedback from many of you on this matter. Some of you believe our fall return strategy is too prohibitive, while others have voiced concerns that we have not taken a strong enough stance.
We want you to know that the COVID task force will continue to consider all feedback because we value and share your concerns, and, like you, we pray for quick resolution.
As always, your health and safety are important priorities. Fortunately, we have been through this before; we continue to incorporate our learning and experience into this plan.
Join us each day as we pray for wisdom, safety, wellness, and abundant life, together in the Name of Jesus Christ.
We are, as ever, Concordia!
In Him,
Dr. William R. Cario
Interim President