liermanm2@lopers.unk.edu
The student body president announced last week that UNK will be conducting voluntary testing for COVID-19 throughout the month of November. The decision to provide testing was made ahead of the holiday season, when many students will be traveling home.
Student leadership stresses the importance of caution as students return home.
“Realizing you may be traveling home to reunite with friends and family, UNK’s administrators have been working hard to pin down resources which could aid in your safe and healthy return home,” said student body president Max Beal in a joint statement with his vice president Trey Janicek. “In a pandemic world, we can never be too careful. In an effort to protect those around you— especially as you travel for the holidays— UNK will be offering free self-selecting testing to students in order to promote safety and awareness in both our campus community and your community at home. “
Testing will be conducted leading up to Thanksgiving break on Nov 16 and Nov. 17, and every Tuesday following the break into finals week for those students who may still have in person classes. Voluntary testing will not be conducted the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 23 and Nov 24) because the turnaround time for results would overlap with break.
Testing will be available to both students and faculty. Anyone wanting to get tested must sign up in advance through covidtesting@unk.edu for a time slot within the 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. window on Monday or the 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. window to receive a test.
Voluntary testing will replace campus’s previous random testing procedures, in part due to limited testing resources. Random testing may return in the spring semester.
Administration officials remind students that if they believe they have been exposed to or have contracted COVID-19 that their best resource is student health.
“If you think you’ve been exposed or you have symptoms, you’ve got to tell student health because they’re the pros,” said John Falconer, senior advisor to the chancellor and the architect behind the voluntary testing campaign. “If you write to me and say, ‘I’ve got symptoms what do I do?’ I will still get you in tonight to get tested, but I also want you to talk to the nurses if you’re going to ask you about your symptoms about your exposure because they might give you direction for right now.”
Tests through this program are free and voluntary. Students should contact covidtesting@unk.edu via their Loper email. Campaign officials will work with you to find a time before sending a link to sign up.
