9-7-2020

Page 1

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WWW.NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA

CEDAR FALLS, IA

THURSDAY, APRIL 5

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

CEDAR FALLS, IA

TWITTER: @NORTHERNIOWAN

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 6

QUEST TOWARD RACIAL EQUITY UNI in search of contributions for racial justice program.

TELLING A JOKE Interpreters Theatre virtual show features UNI professor Doug Shaw.

ISU FOOTBALL Iowa State reverses decision on fans in stadium.

NEWS PAGE 2

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 5

SPORTS PAGE 6

UNI releases latest COVID-19 numbers ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

The UNI Student Health Center reported 35 new cases of COVID-19 among the campus community over the past week, bringing the campus’ cumulative total to 105 since the semester began.

According to the university’s second week of COVID19 data reporting, released on Friday, Sept. 4, the Student Health Center conducted a total of 152 COVID-19 tests from Aug. 31-Sept. 6. This calculates to a 23.03% positivity rate for on-campus testing.

As compared with the previous week, both the number of positive cases and the positivity rate declined. During the period from Aug. 24-30, the Student Health Center had reported 54 positive cases with a 32.14% positivity rate. Numbers from the Northern Iowan’s last

TONI FORTMANN/Northern Iowan

Students study in Maucker Union while wearing masks. The UNI Student Health Center has released its second week of COVID-19 data, indicating a slight decline in the campus positivity rate and number of positive tests.

COVID-19 update may not align with these results, however, since the Friday updates only include data as collected through Thursday of that week. Friday numbers are added to the weekly total by noon on the following Monday and are therefore not included in the NI’s weekly analysis. The dashboard also provides data on Department of Residence quarantine and isolation numbers. As of Sept. 3, there are currently 91 individuals in quarantine and 32 in isolation. Added to the dashboard this week was a table listing the number of self-reported cases of COVID-19 as reported through the daily Panther Health Survey. This week’s table indicated that since Sept. 1, 21 positive cases have been self-reported by students, staff and faculty. However, these self-reported cases may also be counted in the Student Health Center weekly totals, and therefore, the numbers cannot be combined for a grand total.

Other than any that are self-reported, the university’s weekly updates do not include test results from students, staff or faculty who are tested at off-campus locations. “It would be nice if the statistics they handed out reflected tests done at the Test Iowa center (off-campus),” said third-year music major Kameron Reed. “It’s not 100% representative.” In a campus-wide email announcing the second week of data, the university’s COVID-19 Response Team Co-Chairs Colleen Mulholland and Joseph Rayzor indicated that further adjustments to the data reporting are possible as the semester continues. “We greatly appreciate your feedback, and will continue exploring ways to appropriately segment data and to include additional data to the dashboard while also protecting the privacy of our community members,” the email stated.

See UPDATE, page 2

Panel spotlights health care careers NICK BAUR

Staff Writer

With the spotlight this year on the many scientific, medical and health professions, UNI offered a great opportunity for community members and students to learn more about these careers, specifically at UNI. On Thursday, Sept. 5, the UNI Department of Academic Affairs orchestrated a conference focused on presenting the many health careers found here on campus. The meeting of faculty and students hoped to provide more nuanced information related to the health career paths and majors offered at UNI as well as provide firsthand experiences relating to these majors and career paths. Keeping with the campus’

social distancing guidelines in response to the COVID19 pandemic, the health panel took place on a Zoom video call rather than congregating for an in-person panel. The panel, which was spearheaded and mediated by STEM coordinator Marcy Seavey, was open to the public. Several students and community members were in attendance. Health and medical majors represented during the virtual gathering included biology, chemistry and biochemistry, public health and education, communication sciences and disorders and kinesiology. The Zoom video call featured current and former UNI students that have either graduated with these health-related degrees or are currently pursuing said degrees at UNI. See PANEL, page 4

ANTHONY WITHEROW/Northern Iowan


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