FALL 2021 CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
What You Need to Know
LATEST INFO
NEW: Update to campus on face coverings
Fall 2021 Planning Team Update to Campus
Campus Compliance and Immunization Update
For Students | For Employees
CASES ON CAMPUS
View information regarding the numbers of ECU faculty, staff and students who have confirmed cases of COVID-19, have been present on campus in recent weeks, and could have presented a risk of exposure to other members of the University community.
East Carolina University’s fall semester begins Aug. 23, 2021.
Face coverings are still required on campus indoors for faculty, staff, visitors and students, regardless of vaccination status because of the continued prevalence of COVID-19 and the low vaccination rate in Pitt County and the region. This requirement will be revisited with an update to campus by or before Sept. 15. This follows UNC System guidance for all campuses and is part of our Community Expectations. Wearing a face covering is an expression of care, an acknowledgment of our community and a vital part of our plan to make ECU as safe as possible for everyone.
ECU continues to monitor the coronavirus pandemic, receiving regular updates from the CDC, U.S. State Department and N.C. Division of Public Health.
This website will continue to be updated with guidance and news about the pandemic as it relates to our campus. Please continue to monitor email, the official ECU website and social media accounts for the latest information.
Campus and Academics
Fall semester classes begin Monday, Aug. 23 — with 75% of course offerings currently scheduled for face-to-face instruction — and end Monday, Dec. 6. Visit Return of Pirate Nation for campus safety guidelines. Exams are scheduled from Dec. 8-15. Fall Commencement is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 17.
Dining Services will return to normal operations with safety protocols in place. Student Recreation Centers will also return to full operations.
Residence Halls
Residence halls will return to normal capacity with double-occupancy student rooms and safety protocols in place for fall semester. Some single-room options will be available, mostly for returning students. New ECU student room assignments and move-in information will be available in early July.
A COVID test is required for residential students prior to their return to campus, and ongoing surveillance testing will be required throughout the fall semester. COVID-19 vaccines are encouraged and available on campus through Student Health Services. If you have received your vaccine elsewhere, such as a pharmacy, you are encouraged to let ECU know by uploading your vaccine card to MyPIRATEChart.
Faculty and Staff
To prepare for a more traditional campus experience this fall, all campus departments should be prepared to be fully open and operational with adequate in-person on-campus staffing beginning Monday, July 12, and no later than Monday, July 26. Many units will need to be fully operational on campus prior to then, and departments should continue to designate those employees as Required On-Site Employees (ROSE).
Faculty teaching on campus should be back on site no later than Convocation day, Friday, Aug. 20.
Read Chancellor Philip Rogers’ full May 5 message to faculty and staff for more details on important dates, next steps and vaccine information.
Events, Meetings, Travel
- Masks are required in health care settings and on public transportation, including ECU Transit.
- Social distancing is no longer require in classrooms and other meeting areas.
- Masks are no longer required outdoors.
- Mass gathering limits are lifted.
- It is still strongly recommended that unvaccinated individuals continue to wear a face covering at all times when in the presence of others.
Contact Us
ECU community members with other questions related to COVID-19 can email COVID19@ecu.edu.
Pirates Step Up
Members of the Pirate community stepped up to exemplify East Carolina University’s motto Servire, to serve, during the pandemic.
Faculty, staff, students and alumni have found ways to help their communities. From making personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer to training health care workers, Pirates are stepping up to help in unique ways.
Centers for Disease Control
- Steps to prevent illness
- What to do when sick
- Common questions
- Situation updates
World Health Organization
- When and how to use masks
- Myth-busters
- Advice for health workers
- Getting workplace ready