Message from Vice Chancellor Amy Johnson
We can’t wait to welcome you to campus this fall! Whether you are returning to campus or experiencing UNC-Chapel Hill in person for the first time, I wanted to highlight a few essential updates for new and returning students.
Get vaccinated and report your vaccination status. If you have not gotten your COVID-19 vaccination, you still have time to join the 24,000+ Carolina students who report they are vaccinated. It is important that you get your vaccination as quickly as possible to start building immunity before you come back to campus. If you get your first shot now, you can get your second shot after you arrive on campus at our Carolina Vaccine Clinic. Whether vaccinated or not, reporting your vaccination status in ConnectCarolina is a requirement for every student as we track the spread of the Delta variant and plan for the upcoming fall semester. If you are vaccinated and provide vaccination details, you are exempt from the Carolina Together Testing Program (CTTP) requirements.
Follow our New COVID-19 Community Standards. As announced in our campus-wide message this week, we have updated the COVID-19 Community Standards to require students to wear a face mask while inside University buildings or while attending any registered student organization (RSO) indoor meeting, event, program or activity off campus. Registered student organizations are responsible for ensuring that event participants wear a mask and comply with all Community Standards, both on and off campus. Students are not required to wear a mask while outdoors. So don’t forget to pack masks to bring with you!
Get involved. We encourage both new and returning students to join us for our Weeks of Welcome (WOW), Aug. 12-29, with programs, events and special opportunities to help you get engaged in our Carolina community. Be sure to mark your calendars for FallFest and SmallFest involvement fairs during our WOW celebration. These events are great opportunities for new and returning students to get connected with the community, sign up for student orgs, and meet other students. Remember that FallFest and SmallFest will take place both indoors (with masks required) and outdoors. Due to the large number of students who plan to attend FallFest, SmallFest, and Convocation, we strongly encourage you to wear a mask throughout these events for your safety. Help protect yourself and those around you from catching the virus—and ensure that we get our fall semester off to a great start!
Move in and meet your neighbors. For those of you living on campus, Move-In is a high-energy welcome to your home-away-from-home. Our Resident Advisors (RAs) and other staff are excited to connect with their new residents. Carolina Housing has planned a variety of social events during Move-In (and beyond) to help residents meet one another.
If you are living off campus, be sure to join our Off Campus Student Life’s Good Neighbor Initiative, which helps you to meet your neighbors, learn about town resources and the diverse neighborhoods around campus, and continue our long-standing Tar Heel tradition of mutual respect with our greater Chapel Hill community.
Take care of yourself. After a challenging 18 months, please pay close attention to your mental health and wellness. Changes to your routine and living arrangements may bring about a range of emotions, from excitement to anxiety. If you need any assistance, please connect with our various University support resources, including the Dean of Students team, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Student Wellness. For advice on health and wellness and tips on how to navigate the transition back to campus, check out our Healthy Heels blog.
Soak up and enjoy the remaining days of summer. We are counting down the hours until we see you on campus! Go Heels!
Amy Johnson
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs