Bluffton University students are responding in different ways to the systems established to help allow students to stay on campus and attend classes in person. Overall, students say #ProtectTheDam is doing what it is set out to do, with the exception of some students not following some specific protocols.
The coloring system is a public measure to the amount of COVID-19 exposure the campus has had, and there are certain guidelines and practices that coincide with each stage. The three stages are Green, for no COVID-19 cases on campus, Yellow, for some positive cases on campus and Red, for accelerated activity on campus.
Bluffton University was in code Green until results returned on Wednesday, Aug. 19, after testing approximately 400 student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff per NCAA Resocialization Guidelines. That same day, President Jane Wood informed students, faculty and staff campus had moved to a code Yellow because a handful of the tests returned positive. The exact number of cases has not been made public.
Another poster located around campus that allows for people to scan the QR code for updates on the Bluffton University website.
Photo by Olivia Tennefoss.
“I was like ‘It’s only been a week and we’re already on code Yellow?’ I was pretty surprised,” said Amber Brown, a senior nutrition and dietetics major. “But I hope it isn’t that quick for code Red.”
Brady Eyeler, a sophomore criminal justice major, said he was concerned when campus moved into Yellow because he wasn’t sure about the number of people who tested positive. He thought code Yellow was when more than 20 people tested positive for COVID-19, which is not the case.
Other students have found the transition to be a little difficult.
“Personally I think it’s a little confusing, but as I read the notes around our doors and stuff, I got more comfortable with it, and it made more sense to me,” said Meredith Obringer, a first-year dietetics and nutrition major.
Brown said she feels there is too big of a jump between Yellow and Red and wondered about an Orange category as well. She said she wishes there could be more awareness for the number of positive cases on campus, as well as the possibility for classes to stay in person before going completely online.
“I think [the #ProtectTheDam campaign] is doing a good job, it’s just not a lot of people are following it really,” said first-year, criminal justice major Trent Hummer. So if we could get more people involved, we would probably be doing a better job than we are right now.”
In the Aug. 19 email, Wood said, “Together, we are living and learning in a community of respect. Together, we will continue to #ProtectTheDam because we are Beavers All.”
