Faculty and Staff,
Today, after five months of extraordinary planning across our university, we execute the final stages of our Big Red Restart, reopen our campuses and together celebrate a new beginning. As we start the fall semester, meet our students and continue the critical work to guide our Hilltoppers, thank you for your commitment, your adaptability and your collaboration. Without your hard work, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
As the semester gets underway, I have some important information to share with you.
First, if you were unable to join us last week for Faculty and Staff Convocation, you can view it here at your convenience. I’m so proud of the terrific successes we achieved this past year as an institution, even in such challenging times. Additionally, congratulations to Donald Smith, our 2020 Spirit of WKU award winner. His work at WKU continues to make an incredible difference and represents what we should each strive for in our individual roles.
Second, we added a new COVID-19 feature to iWKU, our mobile app that provides instant access to useful information about WKU. You can now easily find links to important COVID-19 resources and even a daily self-check survey. To download the app, search for iWKU in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. A short video with more information is here.
Third, beginning today, Graves Gilbert Clinic (on-campus location) has extended its COVID-19 testing hours. They will now provide PCR (live virus) testing Monday – Friday from 8am – 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8am – noon. GGC continues to provide COVID-19 antibody tests during normal hours. I appreciate the good work of all those involved to make this free testing available, and I encourage all faculty and staff to test frequently. For more information on testing, click here.
From the beginning of this health crisis, WKU has remained committed to prioritizing the safety of our students and our entire WKU community above anything else we do. As we begin the semester together, we stand firm in this commitment.
During the past week, I welcomed groups around campus – our ISEC Academy scholars, Forensics Team, Big Red Marching Band, student-athletes, Greeks, M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan participants, new Kelly Autism Program participants and more. I called upon each of them to take seriously the guidelines we’ve worked incredibly hard to establish.
Now, I ask our faculty and staff to continue setting the example we need and also to speak up and address situations where our Hilltoppers forget or dismiss our Healthy on the Hill protocols. We need everyone to do their part, and I have confidence that our Hilltopper Family will work together to do so in respectful, caring ways. Please remember, if you have COVID-19 related questions or concerns, call the hotline at 270-745-2019, available 24 hours a day, or email covid.help@wku.edu.
Here’s to a successful restart and great semester on the Hill. Go Tops!
Best,
Timothy C. Caboni
