Month: March 2020

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students

Welcome back for the 2020 Spring Quarter.  We want to keep you updated with the latest information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impacts on our community.  We are maintaining contact with local and state health officials as well as our higher education community and others.

Earlier this afternoon, Gov. John Bel Edwards verified that the State of Louisiana has its first presumptive case of COVID-19. Information on the virus continues to show that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from the virus, including older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease.

The presumptive case was reported in a Jefferson Parish resident who was hospitalized in Orleans Parish. Presumptive cases mean a person is presumed to have an illness but will still need further testing to positively confirm they have the virus.

There have been no other cases reported in the state to date, and officials are working to stop the possible spread of the virus. Human coronaviruses spread just like the flu or a cold — through the air by coughing or sneezing; through close personal contact, like touching or shaking hands; by touching an object or surface with the viruses on it; and occasionally, through fecal contamination.

Health-care professionals say one of the most important ways to help stop the spread of any virus is frequent and thorough hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds or longer. We should also practice social distancing and avoid those handshakes and hugs that are common on our campus. I ask that each of us do our part to follow these guidelines and others issued by the CDC.

Our highest priority is the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.  We will also do our best to ensure that students’ academic progress continues and students can achieve their course goals this quarter. Registration for our Spring Quarter will continue and classes will begin as planned on Wednesday.

Our Emergency Response Team (ERT) meets regularly to ensure the safety and health of our students, faculty, and staff. To stay up to date on developments, please review the ERT website at ert.latech.edu.

Les Guice
President

As the number of cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) increases in a number of countries – including the United States – Louisiana Tech University officials continue to monitor the spread of the virus.

We have also put in place two interim policies related to travel to and from countries on the Centers for Disease Control international travel watch list. These measures – made under the advisement of our University of Louisiana System leadership – relate to both personal travel and University-funded travel. I encourage you to read these interim policies thoroughly and reach out with any questions you made have. Here is an executive summary of what these measures mean:

Interim University Travel Measures

The interim university travel measures prohibit university-sponsored travel by students, faculty, and staff to nations the CDC has included on its coronavirus travel warning list (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html ). If someone does travel to one of those nations, they are required to remain away from campus for 14 days starting from the date of their departure from the nation on the warning list.

Interim Personal Travel Measures

The interim personal travel measures require that any student or employee who, with personal time and money, travels to nations the CDC has included on its coronavirus travel warning list (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html) remain away from campus for 14 days starting from the date of their departure from the nation on the list.  It also requires them to stay away for 14 days if they have “known contact” with someone who is from a listed nation and shows symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The policy also requires the university to designate a point person or office, establish a decontamination plan for the University, and a plan to address financial impacts on students that may result.

Thank you for your attention and your work to keep our community safe and healthy.

Leslie K. Guice

• University travel interim policy
• Personal travel interim policy

As the number of cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) increases in a number of countries – including the United States – Louisiana Tech University officials continue to monitor the spread of the virus.

No cases of the virus have been diagnosed in Louisiana, but state health officials remain vigilant and advise citizens to seek medical assistance if they develop a fever and symptoms of lower respiratory illness like a cough or shortness of breath.

More information