Health
November 19, 2020
105 total COVID-19 cases at GC this semester
Fall 2020 has been a very eventful semester for all students, faculty and staff on the Goshen College campus. The graphic below highlights key moments and numbers from the past 15 weeks of school.
November 12, 2020
GC is ‘weathering the financial shocks of COVID-19’
Though Goshen College anticipated a plethora of financial impediments this semester due to COVID-19, outside funds and steady student enrollment numbers have largely mitigated these concerns. Though they still do exist. “The costs [of COVID-19] are far greater than the savings,” President Stoltzfus said. Refunding room and board expenses last semester was once such cost, as was the loss of tuition from cancelled May and summer term classes. Other major losses included the cancellation of the Performing Arts Series as well as making the decision not to rent out facilities over the summer. On a smaller scale, changes at GC...
November 12, 2020
COVID-19 cases climb within higher education
At colleges and universities across the country, there are over 252,000 reported COVID-19 cases. The New York Times recorded that 80 deaths have happened at college campuses, most recently, Bethany Nesbitt, a student from Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. Goshen College’s COVID-19 cases have remained constant following the recent increase in surveillance testing. As of Nov. 11, there are nine cases in isolation and 22 quarantined individuals. This brings the cumulative positive cases to 93 since Aug. 17. The Pandemic Task Force said last week saw the lowest number of new positive cases since mid-September. This comes as Elkhart...
November 5, 2020
Surveillance testing begins on campus
This article was published on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. For the most up-to-date GC COVID-19 numbers, visit the GC COVID-19 Data Dashboard. As new positive COVID-19 cases on campus have trended downward in the last two weeks, the Pandemic Task Force has rolled out their plan to bring testing to student groups and student-athletes in an attempt to stay ahead of any uptick in cases before Thanksgiving. This news comes just as Elkhart County saw its highest number of new positive cases peak at 234 on Tuesday, Nov. 3. In an initial email from the Pandemic Task Force on Oct....
October 22, 2020
On COVID-19 a conversation with Dr. Barbara Meyer
The pandemic has had one constant: change. Dr. Barbara Meyer is the liaison between Goshen Family Physicians and GC. Dr. Meyer speaks about how COVID-19 is affecting us all as it continues to change. What are some things students can do to stay healthy as the weather changes? BM: Washing your hands with pretty much any good soap for 20 seconds or using a hand sanitizer that includes at least 60% alcohol is pretty effective. Wearing a mask and standing six feet from people is effective and being outdoors is probably eight times safer than being indoors in terms of...
October 15, 2020
COVID-19 cases at GC grow to national averages
Reports from Wednesday, Oct. 7 estimate that the cumulative number of positive cases on campus has risen to 20 with eight students currently in isolation. This number is set to change as the athletic department awaits future test results. With 20 cases, the infection rate at GC has risen to the national average of 2.3%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New cases were reported this week as winter sports teams underwent mandatory testing on Monday. A source from one of the athletic teams said they know of three teams that currently have positive cases. “All the...
October 15, 2020
COVID-19 cases spike at GC and throughout state: Student positivity rate climbs to staggering 4.1%
This article was originally published on Oct. 15, 2020. The COVID-19 case numbers in the article and photo above have been updated as of Oct. 17, 2020. The upward trend of positive COVID-19 cases on Goshen College’s campus continued last week as the cumulative number of positive cases among students and employees surged to 43 (47 as of Oct 17). At the moment, there is no current timeline for when classes could move fully online, however the Pandemic Task Force continues to reassess in their weekly meetings, Miller said. “Based on the numbers of people and the networks that are...
October 8, 2020
On-campus clinic takes a shot at protecting all
As the sniffles of flu season approach, Goshen College is looking to combat sickness. During the month of October, Goshen College is providing flu shots to students and employees on campus in the Koinonia Room in the Church-Chapel every Monday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. While this is not the first flu shot clinic Goshen College has hosted, it is as important as ever to get a shot, according to Kevin Miller, lead campus contact tracer and Pandemic Task Force coordinator. “We’re encouraging everyone to get a flu shot this fall to prevent flu cases. Both flu...
October 8, 2020
Early COVID-19 communication at Goshen College receives recognition.
Based on surveys distributed earlier this spring to students, faculty and staff at 64 different colleges and universities around the country, Goshen College was deemed one of the top three schools for early COVID-19 communication. According to the survey conducted from Apr. 16 to May 5, 79% of students were generally or very satisfied with ongoing responses to COVID-19. The study, administered by The Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium, examined further questions including what stress the pandemic caused for students and faculty, as well as how the respective institution helped students and faculty through changes that took place. 64 institutions...
September 24, 2020
COVID-19 cases rise: Administration’s plan remains: ‘Stick to the Big Four’
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Goshen College Pandemic Task Force confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 that day, bringing the total to five students currently in isolation. The most recent data dashboard shows two students and one employee in isolation while 13 students and one employee in quarantine. Those numbers are set to change after learning that three of the students in quarantine tested positive. The highest case count in a week for the college regarding COVID-19 prompted the Pandemic Task Force to send a reminder email last Friday, Sept. 18 to students and faculty to keep up with the...
September 17, 2020
Despite national trend, GC COVID-19 numbers stay low
[For the most up-to-date COVID-19 statistics, visit Goshen College's COVID-19 DashBoard by clicking here] On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the third confirmed case of COVID-19 at Goshen College sent a student into isolation for the first time since the second week of the fall semester. Despite the recent case, the coronavirus’ presence on campus remains low as the fifth week of classes wrap up. According to a New York Times article updated on Sept. 10, GC joins more than 1,190 colleges and universities around the U.S. where COVID-19 has been reported. Still, more than 150 colleges have experienced 100 positive cases....
August 27, 2020
COVID-19 confirmed at Goshen College: First Case in isolation, varsity team plus seven others in quarantine
The first case of COVID-19 on Goshen College’s campus was confirmed last Tuesday, Aug. 18. Soon after, seven individuals were notified through contact tracing and are now quarantining on floors one and two of Miller Residence Hall for two weeks. Positive COVID-19 numbers remained stagnant until Aug. 26, when Student Life informed athletes that an entire varsity team would be quarantining after being exposed to a single positive case. “The Crossroads League has been notified, and the first matches of this team’s season will be rescheduled to a later date,” Erica Albertin, interim athletic director and head athletic trainer, and...
February 16, 2020
Going vegan for $1700 and better health
In his lifetime Jason Samuel has partaken in many food-related challenges. He spent 15 days eating nothing but potatoes, 30 days as a vegan, 60 days as a vegetarian, and now he’s attempting once again, to exclude meat, eggs, dairy products and other animal-derived ingredients. Samuel, general manager of Globe Radio and assistant professor of communications, is attempting to go vegan for the full year — 366 days to be exact, since it’s a leap year. The stakes for the challenge are high with a $1700 bet on the line. Samuel was originally offered $500 to go vegan for two...
February 7, 2020
Coronavirus causes concern for SST
On Saturday, Feb. 2, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular affairs announced that China is now a Level 4 on the travel advisory scale. This announcement informed U.S. residents to not travel there due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. On Wednesday, Chinese health officials raised the death total of the virus to 490 people. The recent news has created concern amongst those set to travel in the fall to China on SST. Jan Bender Shelter, director of international education, contacted the students who are currently signed up for the trip and their parents via email. Shelter expressed...
November 18, 2019
Roles reversed in Rec-Fit trainings
Students and professors have switched roles in the gym this semester. Exercise science students Ollie Smith and Elias Baer have taken as trainees professors in the communications, nursing, and Bible and religion departments. This is a part of the students’ coursework. Last December, Brenda Srof, professor of nursing, turned 59. Her colleagues asked her what plans she had for her 60th birthday. “I’m going to get physically fit,” she replied. A few weeks later, Srof received an email from Ollie Smith, then a third-year exercise science major who was looking for professors to train. They began training together in January...