NEST Bulletin, September 3, 2020

Semester off to positive start; NEST Ambassadors go to work

After months of planning, a successful first week of classes provided optimism among members of the campus community, including the dozens of students serving as NEST Ambassadors.

The goal of each NEST Ambassador is to provide information, support — and occasionally a free mask — for their fellow Cardinals in an effort to keep the campus safer from COVID-19.

NEST Ambassadors were stationed throughout campus. They also have been available to chat online with other students. Students with questions for NEST Ambassadors are encouraged to go online to Canvas Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fitness Center to reopen soon

In keeping with the governor’s latest executive order, SVSU will be opening the Fitness Center and Gerstacker Aquatics Center for use by students, faculty and staff. We will share more specific information next week about our reopening plans, including our health protocols and opening dates .

#CampusClear app update

Required daily health self-screening for all students, faculty and staff coming to campus

Learn more about #CampusClear App

The CampusClear app for the daily health screening underwent a software update Wednesday night. Please know that you may need to re-enter your SVSU credentials the first time you use the app after this update.

We know some members of the campus community have reported difficulty accessing the CampusClear app on their smart devices. We hope the update addresses these issues.

For users experiencing difficulties when accessing the app, it is recommended they attempt to access CampusClear by using an Internet browser and typing https://web.ivy.ai/app/campusclear into the URL field on the browser.

Reminder!

Food and drinks are not to be consumed inside classrooms.

Dashboard offers case information

SVSU has developed an online dashboard to provide information on the number of positive COVID-19 cases within the campus community.

The results will be reported each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The most recent report — on Wednesday, Sept. 2 — revealed zero new cases. There were seven cases reported Monday, Aug. 31.

The dashboard breaks down the cases in categories including "employees," "non-residential students," "residential students - quarantined at home" and "residential students - quarantined on campus."

The dashboard is available at www.svsu.edu/nestplan/covid-19reportingdashboard.

Thursday outdoor movie on campus: 'Birds of Prey'

SVSU’s Valley Nights plan to host the first outdoor movie screening tonight (Thursday, Sept. 3) at 9 p.m. in the soccer field near C-Lot. The film featured will be “Birds of Prey,” the blockbuster sequel to “Suicide Squad” that follows the adventures of DC Comics anti-hero Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie.

Attendees must wear masks and practice social distancing. The event capacity is 90 people. Gates open at 8:30 p.m. There will be giveaways.

The event follows an earlier successful gathering organized by Valley Nights. On Wednesday, the organization coordinated a virtual BINGO competition hosted by Alexis Michelle, a performer on the popular reality competition show, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on VH1. The competition attracted about 40 SVSU students on Zoom.

Ambassadors’ corner: Trio suggest Labor Day weekend activities for rez students

While many students may leave their residence halls during the upcoming Labor Day weekend, many will remain on campus. NEST Bulletin asked a trio of NEST Ambassadors — Jessica Davis, Rhys Morris and Anna Plotkowski — for their advice to peers seeking on-campus activities during the weekend. 

With forecasts predicting partly sunny weather with temperatures in the low-70s, the Ambassadors suggested three outdoor options.

• Walk the nature trails that curve along the outskirts of the main campus. There, you will find the beginnings of fall take shape in the form of changing tree colors. Some walkers also may spot the animals that roam SVSU including deer, turtles, wild turkey, fish and cranes.
• Hang out in hammocks with friends. A favorite pastime of SVSU students includes lounging among trees with friends. This semester, that pastime could become even more popular. The spaces between trees are perfect for social distancing. The Ambassadors recommend the trees surround Wickes Hall.
• Find a spot outside to lay on a blanket and read. The campus is spacious and the surrounding community is serene, making for a perfect setting to enjoy a good book, magazine or iPad read in peace.

View more events at SVSU Engage

Intramural sports leagues forming

Intramural sports on campus are organizing quickly. Coordinators already are offering a wide variety of activities that can be played safely.

Here is a sampling of some of the leagues already forming:

• Badminton
• PS4 and Xbox competitions featuring games such as “Call of Duty,” “Madden 20,” “NBA 2K20,” “Fortnite” and “Rocket League”
• Cornhole
• Cup pong
• Fantasy football
• Fowling
• Golf
• Racquetball
• Spikeball
• Table tennis
• Tennis
• 3-point shootout

Punt/kick/throwFor more information about intramural sports, go to www.svsu.edu/campusrecreation/intramuralsports.

Student-Athletes are staying busy

While there will be no intercollegiate games played until at least January, SVSU’s student-athletes are staying busy. On Thursday, members of the men’s basketball team began gathering in the early morning hours outdoors, where they began conditioning while practicing social distancing.