Dear Bereans,

This is the update for Monday, May 17, 2021.

Quarantine, testing and vaccination update

The good news continues!  I am pleased to announce that at this point there are no in-person students in any sort of quarantine because of approved travel, and likewise for our on-campus employees.  Well done, Bereans!

Kentucky and Madison County update

The Madison County Health Department reported 7, 6, 5, and 0 new cases for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and yesterday.  The number of current active cases is at 79.  Our 7-day average of new cases per day has dropped to 7, keeping us in the Yellow Zone now at 6.5 new cases per day per 100,000 residents.  The total number of deaths in the county attributable to COVID-19 as reported by the State remains at 109.

Gov. Beshear reported 558, 488,  287, and 285 new COVID-19 cases and  6, 5, 8, and 6 new deaths for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and today, respectively, in Kentucky.  The 7-day average of the number of new cases/day is pretty much unchanged at 531 and the average of numbers of deaths/day is down by one to 9.  The latest test positivity rate has gone below 3% to 2.78%.

Both the Commonwealth and Madison County are seeing gradual improvement.

Good News for Seniors from the Student Financial Aid Office

The College now has access to the American Rescue Plan (ARP), or HEERF III, funds.  We’d like to inform our June and August graduates that they will be receiving $650 from the HEERF III funds. (This support is in addition to the HEERF II funds that you were informed about in the Daily Update of last Monday.)  Delivery should be by early next week.  We understand that with graduation comes job hunting, moving, grad school, among many other things where this money can be used.  Again, you are not required to submit any receipts or documentation of use of these funds. The SFA Office will be working with the Administrative Committee on how to disburse the remaining HEERF III funds to other Berea students over the next year.

Vaccination policy at other colleges and universities

As of this morning, the Chronicle of Higher Education lists 348 schools that will require vaccination in the fall.

Regarding move-out

It was noted in an email last evening that student move-out at the end of this week could conflict with end of the semester activities scheduled for Friday.  In fact, students had been advised earlier by the Housing Office that extensions of move-out deadlines to Saturday morning could be requested by students with Friday exams.  An email to that effect also went out to department chairs; we regret that not all faculty received that information.

Stay safe, stay negative, stay in touch,
Lyle Roelofs, President
Berea College