GSU, Tech report COVID case counts as fall begins

The Louisiana Department of Health has updated its dashboard of self-reported cases of COVID-19 among public universities for the first time since mid-August.

Grambling State University has reported a total of 54 positive cases of the respiratory virus among students living or attending classes on campus as of Friday, with 12 of those being new cases since the first report on Aug. 20.

Louisiana Tech University reports 15 total student cases as of Friday, which was the first day for fall quarter move-in. Just three of those were marked as new cases since Aug. 20.

Tech also reports 18 positive cases among faculty and staff, including five new cases. GSU shows no new cases among employees since the last reporting window and only between one and four total. The LDH lists any number less than five as “1-4” to protect privacy.

The LDH’s aggregation of self-reported figures from the universities will be the only place the public can view case numbers from the Lincoln Parish universities this academic year, as Tech is not reporting on its own website as it did last year.

GSU started fall semester classes on Aug. 16. Tech’s fall quarter begins today. Both institutions are part of the University of Louisiana System and are following ULS protocol for COVID measures on campus, such as requiring face coverings indoors.

The COVID-19 vaccine or a written exemption will be required for registration for the next semester or quarter but is not yet being enforced this fall.

Tech is returning the majority of its classes to in-person format, while GSU is offering a mixture of in-person, online and hybrid classes.

Both universities have encouraged students to get the vaccine, with Tech President Les Guice frequently calling it the best way to get “back to normal” this fall.

Tech kicked off the quarter Wednesday night with a first-year Convocation held outside at the Centennial Plaza.