Olivet Nazarene University will offer up to five extracurricular activities per day when students return to campus this fall.
The Olivet Experience Guide 2020 was released earlier this week, showing no signs of restraint when it came to offering students community activities while building the ‘ONU Experience.’ On average, the school will offer five non-essential community activities per day, including yoga, bingo, Zumba, concerts, and movie nights for students to further push socialization amid a pandemic.
Activities will begin with the first day of classes on August 17th.
Students begin arriving on campus that live locally next Friday, August 14th, with all students eligible for move-in on Saturday and Sunday that week.
Locally based students include anyone within a 75-mile radius of 60914, including students from Illinois and Indiana including cities like Champaign, Bloomington, Naperville, Ottawa, Schaumburg, Lake Zurich, Lafayette, IN, and of course, Chicago. Olivet has asked students to quarantine at home for 14 days prior to moving in, promoting ‘integrity’ to self-report symptoms.
Public schools have left no stone unturned in trying to protect their campus from the disease. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, faculty, staff, and students will be required to be tested for COVID-19 at least twice a week. Campus visitors will also need to show proof of test results prior to admission.
“We are a university that is privileged to be home to some of the world’s leading minds on COVID-19 safety, testing and procedures,” Chancellor Robert Jones in an email to faculty and students. “If we all do our part, we believe we have the ability to achieve our missions.”
A saliva test developed at the University of Illinois differs from the nasal swab that’s been much more widely available for COVID-19. “We’re going to continue to ramp up testing across the state, make sure that that’s available,” Gov. JB Pritzker said this week at a news conference at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
Olivet Nazarene has already stated there will be no mass testing conducted to start the year.
“No, we will not be mass testing at the start of the year but instead will have a low threshold for recommending COVID testing when students or employees are symptomatic.” The school said in a statement on its website.
Olivet will conduct temperature checks to inter-campus students on move-in day.
“Looking ahead to the 2020-2021 year, the University will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and take any additional actions it deems necessary, in its sole discretion, in light of the COVID-19 situation.” The school said in its Olivet Experience return guide.
One of the main points in ONU’s “Tiger Pause” program is to ‘bring a mask’ citing points on campus will require a mask for entrance. There is no mention of requiring the use of a mask on campus, or during campus activities. However, the University cites what wearing a mask does in revised Health and Safety protocols for fall 2020.
Olivet Nazarene University has already told incoming students to prepare to quarantine when returning to the Bourbonnais campus this fall. Last Friday, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2020 Football National Championship would be postponed until the Spring of 2021.
Olivet Nazarene University will attempt a ‘speed run’ of the semester activities ending the school year prior to Thanksgiving this semester. There will be no fall revival, fall break, or homecoming on campus this year.
Nearly 2,500 students return to Olivet to move students in beginning Friday, August 14th. Up to two parents are allowed to accompany students for their move-in day.
