Spring 2021 COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan

Our campus Safety Policy requires that face coverings to be worn at all times indoors on campus, except when alone in a room or office, and outdoors on campus at all times when within 6-feet of other individuals. The complete policy is posted here.

All students, faculty, and staff should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of COVID-19 and monitor themselves for these symptoms daily. Early identification of COVID-19 as well taking timely steps to quarantine or isolate people who have been exposed is critical to preventing the transmission or spread of COVID-19 in our community.

All students and employees should be on the lookout for these symptoms:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

WATCH: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms for additional information about COVID-19 symptoms.

If you currently have one or more of these symptoms, see the information below about what to do if you are symptomatic.

All Stevenson students and employees are expected to screen themselves daily for possible COVID-19 symptoms.

The following online symptom screening apps have been created to help students and employees with their daily self-monitoring:

• Students: View Student Symptom Tracker Instructions or Sign in to the Wellness Center Patient Portal Symptom Checker 
• Employees: View Stevenson Symptom Tracker Instructions or Sign in to the Employee Stevenson Symptom Tracker

WATCH: How to Use Your Symptom Tracker

Students and employees must use these apps every morning before coming to class, to campus, or to work. Based on the user's input, the apps will indicate if they should not come to campus, to class, or to any campus activities, and the next steps they need to take as a student or as an employee.

You can add the Symptom Tracker to your cellphone screen for easy access. View or download the instructions for making the Student Symptom Tracker web link appear as an icon on your Apple or Android mobile device’s home screen. If you use a laptop/desktop computer, you can bookmark the page in your browser.

If your Symptom Tracker or your own daily self-monitoring indicate that you might have symptoms of COVID-19, follow these steps:

If you are a commuter student, stay home. Do not come to campus, class, campus jobs, internships, athletics, or extracurricular activities; wear your face covering and physically distance from others. Contact your healthcare provider. Also, you must contact the SU Wellness Center at 443-352-4200 or wellness@stevenson.edu for information about testing and quarantining and what you will need to do to be cleared for a return to campus.

If you are a resident student, stay in your room. Do not come to class, dining services, campus jobs, internships, athletics, or extracurricular activities; wear your face covering and physically distance from others. Contact the SU Wellness Center at 443-352-4200 or wellness@stevenson.edu. They will provide guidance on testing, quarantining, and isolation.

The following video summarizes what commuter and resident students need to do if symptomatic:

WATCH: WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE SYMPTOMATIC FOR COVID-19

If your Employee Symptom Tracker or your own daily self-monitoring indicate that you might have symptoms of COVID-19, follow these steps:

• Do not come to work or to campus. Stay home, contact your healthcare provider, and contact your supervisor.
• Your supervisor will inform the Office of Human Resources, who will be in touch about next steps, including quarantining, working remotely from home, contact tracing, and the steps required for being cleared to return to campus.

The following links outline these procedures:

Procedures for Employees with Symptoms/Infection/Contact

WATCH EMPLOYEE PROCEDURES WHEN SYMPTOMATIC, COVID+, OR IN CONTACT WITH A COVID+ INDIVIDUAL

Isolation Procedures

Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be directed to isolate.

Isolating means that you will need to stay at home and remain separated from other individuals for a specified period of time. All students, including resident students, should plan to isolate at their home, not on campus.

If you are a resident student and cannot get to your home address or have other concerns about isolating there, you might need to isolate in a residential space designated for isolation and separated from other students.

The Wellness Center staff will provide you with information about how to isolate safely and the protocols you will need to follow before exiting isolation and returning to campus life.

VIEW: Isolation Information Sheet

Quarantine Procedures

If you have been identified as a close contact (defined as having been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period), you will be directed by a member of the university Wellness staff or another administrator to quarantine at home.

Quarantining means that you will need to stay at home and remain separated from other individuals for a specified period of time. If you are a resident student and cannot get to your home address or have other concerns about quarantining there, permission may be granted to quarantine on campus, which may mean being moved to a designated location on campus for quarantine or to a local hotel where the University has reserved rooms for the spring semester.

The Wellness Center staff and/or a member of the University's Contact Response Team will provide you with information about how to quarantine safely and the protocols you will need to follow before exiting quarantine and returning to campus life.

VIEW: Quarantine Information Sheet

Academic Instruction While in Isolation or Quarantine

Stevenson will work to support the academic progress of our students in isolation or quarantine by providing remote daily access to coursework and related materials as well as other learning support options.

Contact Responders will work with the Office of Student Success to inform faculty that students in quarantine or isolation will not be able to attend in person classes. Students will be copied on that communication.

Move-In Pre-Testing for Resident Students

Spring Move-In will take place from Tuesday, January 19, 2021, through Sunday, January 24, 2021. All resident students will need to be newly tested for COVID-19 AND receive and submit a negative test result to be cleared to return to campus to move into their campus residences.

The complete procedures for the move-in testing are found under the tab “Spring Move-In Pre-Testing: Resident Students” on this Countdown to Spring web page.

Pre-Testing for Non-Resident (Commuter) Students

All non-resident students (commuters) who will attend in-person classes on campus, and all non-resident (commuter) students who are participating in athletics are required to receive a COVID-19 test and submit a negative test result to be cleared to return to campus for Spring in-person classes or athletic activities.

The complete procedures for non-resident student testing are found under the tab “Spring Semester Pre-Testing: Non-Resident Students” on the Countdown to Spring web page.

Random Surveillance Testing (RST)

Stevenson will conduct Random Surveillance Testing (RST) during the Spring 2021 semester for all resident students living on campus and for all non-resident students commuting to campus for in-person hybrid courses and/or athletics.

Stevenson implemented RST in the Fall to help us proactively identify students who have COVID-19 but do not show symptoms and who, as a result, may inadvertently spread the virus to others with whom they come into contact. A regular cycle of testing a randomized sample of students gives us an ongoing strategy for measuring the possible prevalence of COVID-19 within our campus community in order to formulate responses to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the health and well-being of students. Each week, a random and representative sample of residential and commuter students will be selected to receive a PCR test. The Wellness Center will conduct the testing on campus, and it will be free of charge to students.

Students selected for testing will be notified via their SU email account and given 7-day period during which they can choose a day and time to schedule a testing appointment. The email will contain instructions on how to schedule a testing appointment on campus or request an exemption in certain cases. If you are selected to participate in the testing, and are not exempt, failure to comply may result in disciplinary consequences. There are some exemptions, which include having tested negative for COVID-19 within 5 days of receiving the email notification for random testing; being currently ill and not being able to visit the campus testing location; and a religious belief that restricts testing. Exemption requests will be reviewed, and the students will be notified of the outcome.

Any asymptomatic student who receives a positive test result through this process will be directed to isolate at their permanent address for at least 10 days from the date the test was administered. The Wellness Center will advise the student on the isolation and symptom monitoring procedures that must be followed in order to be cleared for return to campus. Each student will also receive support coordinated through a case manager and can continue to attend their classes remotely while in isolation.

Any student who has been identified as a possible close contact of an asymptomatic positive student will be contacted by Stevenson Contact Response Team to determine if quarantine is required. If quarantine is necessary, the Contact Response Team will provide support and guidance to the student so they can complete their quarantine and continue their classes remotely before being cleared to return to campus.

On-Demand Testing on Campus

COVID-19 testing will be performed on campus when deemed clinically necessary for commuter and resident students who have been medically assessed by the Stevenson Wellness Center. Students who are not symptomatic and not considered a close contact of a suspected COVID-positive individual will be directed to the Baltimore County Department of Health’s testing sites.

While awaiting the results of a COVID test, students will be directed to quarantine or isolate. The Wellness Center will provide guidance to students about quarantining and isolation procedures. When a positive test result is received, students will be contacted and directed to continue their isolation or quarantine. The Wellness Center will communicate the protocols they must follow to isolate or quarantine properly so they can be eventually cleared to return to campus, class, or other activities. In the majority of cases, students will need to quarantine and isolate at their home address, not on campus.

If any student decides to get a COVID-19 test on their own off campus, they need to advise the Wellness Center immediately and quarantine until receiving their results. The Wellness Center will need to know when and where the test was done and the test result when received. Students cannot return to campus until cleared by a healthcare provider and the Wellness Center.

On campus testing is available only to students, not to university employees. Employees should consult their own healthcare providers about testing.

After a Negative Test Result

Remember that a negative test result could mean that you are still incubating the virus and that you could become positive. If you receive a negative test result, it is very important that you continue to follow all the CDC-recommended health and hygiene procedures—wearing a face covering, physical distancing, washing your hands, avoiding large gatherings, and covering coughs and sneezes—and continue to monitor yourself for possible symptoms of COVID-19.

Stevenson has a trained Contact Response Team that will conduct contact tracing in coordination with the Baltimore County Department of Public Health. Team members will follow up with students and employees who might have been in close contact with a COVID-positive individual on campus.

Close contact is defined as having been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.

The Contact Response Team will provide individuals with information and guidance about the steps that they will need to take to protect themselves and others, including quarantining if necessary.

It is important to answer any call, voicemail, or email from the Contact Response Team—it is about protecting your health and the health of others in our campus community. Students and employees should update their personal and emergency contact information through their WebXpress accounts via the SU Now Portal in order to make sure that they can be reached quickly by the Contact Response Team if necessary.

If you are concerned about symptoms that you are experiencing or believe that you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please contact the Stevenson Wellness Center immediately at 443-352-4200 or wellness@stevenson.edu for assistance.

To increase the safety of our students, Stevenson has reconfigured classrooms, science and nursing labs, computer labs, libraries, and other instructional and study spaces for physical distancing. 

Watch: Classroom Physical Distancing 

Decals on desks, tables, and chairs will indicate where students should sit or work for optimal physical distancing. 

In accordance with our Safety Policy, wearing face coverings and physical distancing are required on campus and in these instructional spaces. Eating and drinking in classrooms and labs is not be allowed. 

Spring 2021 hybrid face-to-face course schedules and classroom assignments have been structured to augment physical distancing and reduce the number of people in classrooms as well as the density of people in buildings and hallways throughout the day.

Specific health and safety procedures required of students in science laboratories are explained in the following video: 

Watch: Science Lab Health and Safety Procedures 

Accommodations 

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is prepared to support students who require accommodations due to disabilities and recognizes that COVID-19 has had a greater impact on certain populations. Students who are immunosuppressed by diagnosis or due to a medical treatment plan may be at higher risk, and Stevenson recognizes that some students with chronic medical conditions may also require temporary accommodations. 

If you believe that you may qualify for accommodations due to a disability, have specific questions, or would like to discuss this option, please contact the Office of Disability Services ODS@stevenson.edu or 443-352-5320. You can also find more information here. 

Adjustments 

If you do not have a documented disability but have other concerns about the Spring semester, then we invite you to communicate with us using this link. This link should only be used if you are interested in remote access to your courses for the full semester. 

Students will have many opportunities to enjoy and get the most out their Stevenson experience this Spring. Student Activities, Career Connection Center, Arts Alive!, the Center for Diversity & Inclusion, MAP, and other university- and student-sponsored events will continue through virtual online formats as well as face-to-face under protocols that enhance safety for participants. These safety protocols include wearing face coverings, physical distancing, and limiting the number of participants. 

The Office of Student Activities will work with student organizations and clubs to ensure safety protocols are followed as they develop plans and host events. Routine club and organizational activities, such as meetings, will move to virtual online formats. 

Some of planned events and activities include:

Arts Alive! 

• Musician Kevin Olusola Virtual Event 
• Virtual museum tours 
• Online music workshops 
• Virtual Review Show of movies and television featuring student panelists brought to you by the Film & Moving Image program 

Career Connections Center 

• Virtual Ask-Me-Anything Career Sessions 
• Virtual weekly Career Chats 

Diversity & Inclusion 

• Black History Month Virtual Events 
• Virtual events and performances from the Coffee House 
• Third Annual Weekend of Women to celebrate Women’s History Month  

Student Activities 

• Spin-to-Win Virtual Game Show 
• Food Truck Series 
• Mustang Activities and Programming (MAP) events (at least one event per week)  
• Bingo Series 
• Leaderstang Emerging Leaders program 
• Be Kind to Your Mind Self-Care Retreat

Look for events information on the SU Now Portal and via the Weekly Scoop email from Student Activities. 

The university is committed to providing safe options for intramural sports and physical fitness to our students during the Spring semester. 

Intramural sports will continue to offer individual-based activities, such as weekly and semester-long individual challenges and contests, instead of team play. 

Fitness classes that typically take place indoors will shift to virtual online formats.  

Our campus Fitness Centers will be open and follow procedures to optimize physical distancing, limit density, and enhance cleaning and disinfection after each student’s workout. These measures include: 

• Students must clean their equipment both before and after use with disinfectant wipes, and attendants will perform additional cleaning between each scheduled workout time. 
• No walk-up entry allowed. Students will need to schedule a timeslot in advance online and will be checked in by an attendant when they arrive.  Timeslots can be reserved through the following link: Fitness Center Time Reservations. 
• Face coverings and physical distancing will be required during the students’ entire workouts. 
• All fitness equipment will be spaced to optimize physical distancing. 

Residence Life and Housing requires all new and returning resident students to be tested for COVID-19 and submit a negative COVID-19 test to the Wellness Center in order to be cleared to return to campus housing.

The full details of this pre-testing and move-in timeline and plan are posted under the tab “Spring Move-In Pre-Testing: Resident Students” on this Countdown to Spring web page. Questions? Please contact Residence Life at reslifereception@stevenson.edu.

All resident students must conduct daily self-monitoring for possible symptoms of COVID-19. Stevenson has the created the Student Symptom Tracker so that students can easily screen themselves for possible symptoms of COVID-19 before starting their day and heading to class, study, dining, athletics, or other activities.

The following will help you access the Student Symptom Tracker and explain how to use it and what symptoms to look out for:

• Sign into the Student Symptom Tracker
• View Student Symptom Tracker Instructions
• WATCH: How to Use Your Symptom Tracker
• WATCH: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

You can add the Symptom Tracker to your cellphone screen for easy access. View or download the instructions for making the Student Symptom Tracker web link appear as an icon on your Apple or Android mobile device’s home screen. If you use a laptop or desktop computer, you can bookmark the page in your browser.

IMPORTANT: If self-monitoring indicates that you could have COVID-related symptoms, do not come to campus or leave your room to attend a class or activities. Immediately contact the Wellness Center at 443-352-4200 or wellness@stevenson.edu for guidance.

The following cleaning and safety measures for the Residence Halls are in place for the Spring 2021 semester:

• Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of all Residence Halls, rooms, bathrooms, lounges, common rooms, hallways, stairs, elevators, laundry rooms, and furnishings with hospital-grade products before students move in.
• Enhanced daily cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch surfaces, lounges, common rooms, hallways, stairs, elevators, and laundry rooms with hospital-grade cleaning products.
• Furniture arranged for physical distancing in lounges and common areas.
• Signage posted in hallways, stairs, elevators, and common rooms to indicate proper physical distancing and other safety measures that students must follow.

The following safety policies and procedures are in place for all resident students for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic:

Safety Policy: Face Coverings Required

• In accordance with the Stevenson’s Safety Policy, face coverings are required in all common areas, such as lobbies, hallways, elevators, stairs, and common rooms as well as outdoors on campus when within 6 feet of others.
• · We encourage students to watch the following videos: How to Use Face Coverings and Where to Wear Face Coverings.

Guests and Visitor Policy

• Guests and visitors are prohibited in individual rooms, suites, and apartments, and visitors are prohibited from entering any Residence Hall building.
• No one may enter a room, suite, or an apartment except the residents who live in the assigned space.
• Guests and visitors (those connected to Stevenson only) are permitted outside of Residence Hall buildings in accordance with the University Visitor Policy.

Roommate Agreement Process

• In accordance with our Roommate Agreement process, Resident Students will discuss and agree upon guidelines with their roommates for the use of face coverings and physical distancing while in their rooms, suites, or apartments and will be encouraged to discuss other safety precautions used beyond the residence hall environment.

Avoiding Travel and Large Gatherings

• Students should avoid overnight travel and large gatherings on or off campus as such situations have been shown to contribute to the transmission of COVID-19.