To Whom It May Concern:

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln has been using saliva-based PCR Tests for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) over the last month. These tests have proven to be an effective way to screen students, faculty, and staff for the novel COVID-19 virus and ensure a safe learning environment and social culture. For the week ending January 23, the positivity rate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was 0.82%. That rate has dropped to 0.35% for the most recent week: February 15. The drop in positive rates shows that this Universities' efforts to stop the spread of COVID have been relatively successful. 

Students have happily complied with the University's requests in efforts to help slow the spread and bring back some form of normalcy in their lives. Examples of compliance at various on-campus housing are as follows: Occupancy of no more than 50% in dining centers, hand sanitizer stations are readily available; masks are worn in all common areas, to name a few. The students have gone above and beyond to honor the requests of the University. They have fully complied with the demands of this University during these unprecedented times. 

Using the "Safer Community" app to screen for COVID has proven to be a great tool in keeping our community safe. Not utilizing that tool is a disservice to the time and funding put into it. Registered student organizations (RSO's) on campus can be using this tool to screen attendees to events. Instead, they have are being barred access to a device that could very well bring regularity back into the lives of students who have sacrificed more than a year of their college experience. The University should allow these RSO's to use the Safer community app as a way to keep students safe at events, specifically out-of-state. RSO's are more than capable of having a screening at the door to get into said events. Participants will be wearing masks. With the COVID free participants at the event, attendees will be doing their part to stop the spread while safely reintroducing one of the many aspects that make the Husker experience as special as it is. Out-of-state events should be included in the approved events, contingent on the proper approval. 

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The signee of this petition is hereby asking Chancellor Ronnie D. Green, Leigh Theidman, and other executive parties to consider out-of-state events for RSO's. The request is with consideration of the drop in positive tests within the recent month. The decline in positive COVID-19 cases combined with extra preventive measures will allow for COVID compliant events. The attendees will execute said events safely. We sincerely appreciate your consideration and look forward to a response. 

Regards,

Signee's of this petition

*Disclaimer* This petition is not affiliated with any specific organization.