Greetings to all students, faculty, and staff at UA Cossatot.

Here it is, the start of a fresh semester and here we are, dealing with another outbreak of COVID-19.

The Chancellor’s Cabinet at UA Cossatot has been monitoring the prevailing health conditions of our local area and, as we did this past year, we will continue to sanitize classrooms and other public spaces and provide masks and hand sanitizers for all students and employees that choose to wear one.

For the upcoming fall semester, here are a few things we want everyone to consider:

If you have questions about vaccinations, mask use, etc., please talk to your family physician, pharmacist, or other professional who is specifically trained in this area. Please don’t rely on social media, unreliable “news” sources, or other unqualified messengers. The most important thing is for everyone to make really good, informed decisions about their own health and how they can help reduce the spread of COVID and reduce the risk associated with it in case they test positive for it.

Getting vaccinated remains your best option for protection against the virus. If you haven’t done so already, I strongly encourage you to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible. If you need additional information about how and why to get vaccinated locally, please reach out to Dr. Ashley Aylett (aaylett@cccua.edu) for a complete list of locations that offer free vaccines.

There is currently a state law that states that UA Cossatot cannot require masks on our campuses. Even though we don’t require masks when you are on campus, masks are effective in preventing direct exposure to airborne virus particles, and we strongly encourage you to wear a mask if social distancing is not possible.

Communication and contact tracing are still vitally important as we monitor students and employees who may be exposed to COVID. The rules and guidance related to quarantine and isolation (based on Arkansas Department of Health guidelines) continue to evolve depending on your vaccination status. If you have been in close contact with someone who has COVID or if you have tested positive, please contact the following people:

For UA Cossatot students, contact Dr. Ashley Aylett (aaylett@cccua.edu)

For UA Cossatot employees, contact Ms. Kelly Plunk (kplunk@cccua.edu)

We are looking forward to a fantastic fall semester! We will all have to work hard to take care of one another and have a successful academic year.

As always, please let me know if I can do anything for you!

Dr. Cole