Stephens Plan for Fall 2020 | StaffJul 17, 2020 · cough/sneeze etiquette, frequent disinfection of common areas, symptom tracking and testing, ... higher education, businesses,

Handbook for Health + Safety | StaffUpdated NOV 16, 2020

Table of Contents

Letter from the President ...............................................................................................................1

Introduction .........................................................................................................................................3

Planning for Risk ...............................................................................................................................5

Safety Measures...............................................................................................................................10

Dining Services ................................................................................................................................ 13

Cleaning and Sanitizing ................................................................................................................14

Academics ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Classroom Protocols ...................................................................................................................... 17

Monitoring and Tracking COVID-19 .......................................................................................... 18

Telework .............................................................................................................................................. 21

Appendix A ...................................................................................................................................... 22

Appendix B .......................................................................................................................................24

PLEASE NOTE: This handbook is not a contract. Its purpose is to bring together in a convenient place a sum-mary of some of the policies related to COVID-19 that affect employees. Employees should read this hand-book and become familiar with the content. If the handbook does not answer a question, employees should contact their supervisor or Human Resources for assistance.

This text was updated on November 16, 2020.

1 | HANDBOOK FOR HEALTH + SAFETY | STAFF

Progress … and Planning for the Weeks AheadDear Stephens,As we departed campus in March, we could not have anticipated the extraordinary challenges about to occur in our communities and our nation as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have experienced greater personal, professional, social and financial disruption than ever before in any of our lifetimes. And yet we have continued to meet and overcome those challenges, and in the process, we have found new ways to improve, reinvent and re-envision the ways we can best meet our primary goal: Our students’ successful college experience and academic progress.

It was our shared objective in July to bring our community back to campus in safe and consistent ways; to welcome our students back to campus in August; to manage and protect the safety and health of our entire community during these challenging times; and to keep our students with us on campus throughout the semester. I am proud and grateful that we have achieved all of those goals, entirely because each of us has shared direct responsibility for following the health and safety practices we know make all the difference — from social distancing and wearing face coverings to handwashing and daily health screenings. In committing to these simple but important precautions, each of us is protecting the safety and health of all of us.

As always, our Ten Ideals provide us with important guidance in these challenging times:

Respect for our own dignity and the dignity of others, embodied in a sense of social justice;

Courage and persistence;

Independence, autonomy and self-sufficiency;

Support for others through the willingness to take and give criticism, acceptance and love;

Sensitivity to the uniqueness and fragility of the natural world of which we are part;

Responsibility for the consequences of our choices;

Belief in our changing selves and in our right to change;

Creativity in the spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of life;

Intelligence that is informed and cultivated, critical yet tolerant; and

Leadership which empowers others.


In developing our plans and protocols, the College drew upon several foundational principles, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local and regional public health experts, and higher education best practices and guidelines:

• COVID-19 presents public health challenges that can be mitigated with diligent, consistent practices and protocols grounded in public health guidance, scientific knowledge and clinical best practices. Those guidelines continue to evolve as more becomes known; the College’s practices and protocols will need to be equally dynamic in order to remain current and effective.

• Current guidelines for virus mitigation include persistent hand hygiene, physical distancing, cough/sneeze etiquette, frequent disinfection of common areas, adoption of best practices in air flow systems and filters, symptom tracking and testing, temperature checks and face coverage.

• As we look to the winter, health experts predict a spike in cases — and in fact, we are already seeing significant increases in communities across the country (including our own). While a vaccine is anticipated sometime in the coming months, epidemiologists predict it could take up to a year for sufficient numbers of people to have been vaccinated and to have created herd immunity. That means some limitations and requirements are likely to be in place for at least the next six to 12 months. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and our policies and practices need to be considered “the new normal,” rather than as temporary and inconvenient accommodations.

• All communal living environments — from college campuses and nursing homes to high-rise student apartment buildings and military bases — can be prime environments for viral spread. Special care needs to be taken to address those risks within the context of the lifestyles and demographics of residents (in our case, college students).

• The College’s Emergency Operations Center continues to meet regularly to track changes in local and regional COVID data. That group will work with the COVID-19 Advisory Board, which is responsible for helping to develop recommendations for new restrictions or changes in our alert level, should that become necessary (see page 5 of this document). In all cases, we will keep our community informed.

It’s getting to be something of a COVID-19 cliché, but it remains true nonetheless: We are all in this together. And I am confident that we have the individual self-discipline, community commitment and institutional accountability to ensure that we are all doing what needs to be done, every minute of every day. I am grateful to be a member of such a caring, responsible and committed community.

Dr. Dianne Lynch, Stephens College President


Continuing to Communicate The College’s COVID-19 planning efforts have been and continue to be largely the responsibility of the Senior Staff, which meets several times each week to ensure continued and integrated progress; in turn, each director and VP works with his/her/their managers to gather input from all areas and to ensure campus-wide coordination. In mid-May, the President asked the Staff Advisory Council and a faculty group comprising a representative of each of its governance committees to meet weekly with designated members of Senior Staff to provide input into campus planning. Additionally, since early March, the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs have invited all faculty to meet bi-weekly to share information and solicit feedback.

In March, the College established a public-facing COVID-19 information page on its website (stephens.edu/alert), as well as an internally facing page behind its gateway (gateway.stephens.edu/ facultystaff/command-center-on-the-gateway) to provide key updates on the College’s decisions and developments. On May 14, the President communicated with all employees that the College was preparing for multiple scenarios for the fall semester, including a full return to campus in August and a full return to all-online instruction. The Board of Trustees at its June 5 meeting accepted the College’s planning scenarios. The President has continued on a weekly basis to communicate with the Chair of the Board of Trustees regarding COVID-19 trend lines in Columbia and the College’s progress and challenges.

The College has developed multiple points of contact with local and state leadership as it works to communicate, coordinate and execute community/campus plans for risk mitigation and community outbreak.1

The College is actively monitoring and surveilling local, national and international research (Johns Hopkins University, in particular) and media sources to ensure decisions and planning are based on accurate, current information regarding COVID-19 epidemiology, risk mitigation strategy, policy and best practices. The President reports frequently to the Senior Staff regarding the current and projected state of the virus, as well as credible sources of fact-based information.

Reliable sources of accurate information include:

City of Columbia/Boone County: gocolumbiamo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=478880b83d5e4d35b646d80fe6f2c2f6

Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center: coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

1. In addition to regular individual communications with the Boone County Director of Public Health, the City Manager, the CEO of Boone Hospital, the Superintendent of Public Schools, and the Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education, the President serves on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the City of Columbia’s Crisis Strategy Committee, which includes executive leadership from the city, local hospitals, public health, higher education, businesses, and the Columbia Public Schools. A higher education subgroup of that committee also meets with the City Manager and the Director of Public Health. The College is represented in all COVID-19 meetings of the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. The College’s partnership with Boone Hospital provides significant insight into local, state and regional trends and projections.

http://stephens.edu/alert

http://gateway.stephens.edu/

http://gocolumbiamo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=478880b83d5e4d35b646d80fe6f2c2f6

http://gocolumbiamo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=478880b83d5e4d35b646d80fe6f2c2f6

http://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

http://cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html


This handbook, which provides planning, policies and protocols for the College’s response to COVID-19, was distributed to all employees on July 17 and was updated in mid-November. While it will remain a work in progress and subject to continuous updating and revisions, it establishes a common framework within which the community will move forward together, each of us responsible for the health and well-being of all of us.

Please note that the College takes very seriously our collective and individual responsibility to abide by these protocols and policies. Failure to do so will be considered a violation of the College’s Employee Code of Conduct, which has been amended to include “failure to comply consistently with all policies, practices and protocols established by the College to protect community health and safety.”

Stephens’ Elements for Reopening

Campus Health Safety Needs

Protocols & Communication

Management & Oversight

stephens.edu/alert | stephens.edu/covid

Alert Levels Safety Expectations Safeguarding Protocols Sanitation Protocols

Academic Programs

PPE Protocols Campus Signs & Info Cleaning & Sanitizing Testing & Tracing

Clear Vision Communications Phasing Plans Working with Local Leaders

Mode of Education Training Support Academic Equity

COVID-19

ALERT

http://stephens.edu/alert

http://stephens.edu/covid


Planning for Risk Collaborative Leadership

In September, the College established an Emergency Operations Center to manage College-wide health concerns and/or COVID-19 outbreaks within the community. Membership includes the Vice President for Student Development, the Athletics Director, a facilities manager, the Human Resources Director, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Director of the Stephens College Counseling program, the Safety and Security Director and the Executive Assistant to the President (in her role as the College’s administrative liaison with Boone Medical Center). The Emergency Operations Center monitors current trends in COVID-19 transmission, health-care access, and risk factors to help the College respond quickly and appropriately to changing conditions.

In August, the College established a COVID-19 Advisory Board, a representative authority/body to direct its ongoing consideration, review and execution of decisions to modify, restrict, postpone or cancel on-campus activities related to a COVID-19 outbreak. Membership includes representatives of faculty (4), staff (2), students (2) and administration (2), with recommendations to the President and, as appropriate, to the Board of Trustees.


Scenario Planning

In light of the rapidly changing nature of COVID-19 trend lines, the College’s planning has included consideration of varying scenarios, all designed to prepare us to pivot from one scenario to another as conditions change. At this point in our planning, barring government restrictions and capacity limitations in housing, we anticipate that students in Scenarios #1 and #2 (who have arrived and are living on campus) will retain the right to remain living on campus.

Scenario #1: Campus returnsConfirmed cases of COVID-19 in Boone County remain contained. The College has in place the clear policies and protocols to help protect our community’s safety. Employees return to campus in staggered cohorts in July and early August. Students return in mid-August, classes are offered inonline/in-seat modalities to accommodate some fluctuations in attendance, and the campus moves into a “new normal.”

Scenario #2: Campus pivots mid-semester Campus reopens as planned, but a “second wave” of the virus occurs later in the fall, and the College is required to return to some level of remote operations and instruction. Because some students remain on campus living in the residence halls and accessing necessary laboratories and equipment, the category of “essential employees” who continue to work on campus is expanded to include those who provide direct student support.

Scenario #3: Campus operates remotelyThe virus continues to spike and health risks increase. Local, regional and state governments impose restrictions. Students cannot remain in shared housing, events on campus are canceled, and the College continues its remote operations and instruction for the foreseeable future.

+


Operating Under COVID-19 Alert Levels

Those scenarios map to a more complex system of analysis based on four COVID-19 Alert Levels, designed to indicate the severity of COVID-19 transmission and its implications for College operations. These Alert Levels were developed by Johns Hopkins University and informed by guidance from PreventingEpidemics.org, the CDC and AEI’s Roadmap to Reopening. Stephens’ alert level will reflect state and local mandates and conditions, as well as emerging situations on or near campus.

Very High Alert Stay-at-home orders are in place, schools and non-essential businesses are closed and individuals are expected to practice self-isolation.

Collegial OperationsSchools and non-essential businesses remain closed and individuals are expected to practice self-isolation. Campus and building access are restricted. Telework is the preferred choice for as many employees as possible in accordance with state/local mandates. Instruction is remote, in-person housing and in-person academic programs are canceled.

High Alert State-By-State ReopeningColleges and communities can operate low-density environments. Many colleges are open, but there are significant prevention policies in place which may include limitations on meeting sizes, enforced personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and continued elevated precautions for high risk individuals. Collegial OperationsInstruction is primarily remote. In-person instruction is limited to clinical/ practicum activities that are difficult to conduct remotely. Small groups (<10 including the instructor) may convene with special permission.Significant prevention policies are in place, which may include limitations on meeting sizes, enforced PPE use, screening, contact tracing and selective quarantining/self-isolation.

• Limited access to facilities including use of shifts.

• Limited small group instruction (<10) for graduate students, high-need students, specialized programs.

•No shared offices for faculty/staff/graduate students.

•Strict distancing, face covering, frequent hand washing.

HIGH

ALERT

VERY HIGH ALERT

http://PreventingEpidemics.org


Moderate AlertCURRENT LEVEL (NOV. 10, 2020) Protections in PlaceColleges and communities can operate moderate-density environments. Colleges are open and many protective measures are actively in place. The underlying threat of outbreak remains, but prevalence of the virus is lower and testing and contact tracing capacities are robust enough to allow some policies to be relaxed. There may also be available treatments for the disease, which lower the risk of severe outcomes.

Collegial OperationsInstruction is a mix of in-person and remote instruction with online options for in-person classes. Some students will not be able to return to campus and accommodations should be put in place to enable continued academic progress.

•Easing of facility restrictions, rigorous cleaning & PPE protocols.

• Low-density instruction 6-feet diameter per student.

• Limited specialized facility access (labs, studios, practice rooms).

•Public offices with distancing and other measures.

•Strict distancing, face covering, frequent hand washing.

Low Alert New NormalColleges and communities can operate high-density environments. Once vaccines and/or highly effective treatments are approved and widely available, and there is low circulation of the coronavirus, prevention practices can be gradually lifted more fully. It is likely that even when immune protection is established, that social interactions remain changed for a duration of time and that re-engineered processes and new technologies persist, so long as they are functional.

Collegial OperationsOnce vaccines and/or highly effective and widely available treatments are approved for the coronavirus, prevention practices can be lifted. It is likely that even when immune protection is established, that social interactions remain changed for a duration of time and that re-engineered processes and new technologies persist, so long as they are functional.

•Classrooms near full capacity.

•Shared office spaces.

•Dining and residential activities with some modifications.

MODERATE ALERT

LOW ALERT


Directional triggers to raise the alert level:

• Significant increases in COVID-19 transmission on campus, occurring at a greater rate than the local community.

• Significant increases in COVID-19 transmission within the College’s local community, if it is impractical for the College to minimize COVID-19 exposure between the College and local community.

• Evidence that the College’s community is disregarding physical distancing and PPE requirements.

• Insufficient availability of COVID-19 testing by the College or local/state public health authorities, due to logistics, supply chain or other factors.

• Insufficient health care capacity, on campus or within the local health care facilities.

• Insufficient space to manage the number of in-residence students requiring quarantine rooms or self-isolation.

• Local/state/federal mandates.

Directional triggers to lower the alert level:

• Significant decreases in COVID-19 transmission on campus.

• Significant decreases in COVID-19 transmission within the College’s local community, if it was higher than transmission on campus.

• Evidence that the College’s community is consistently observant of physical distancing and PPE requirements.

• Sufficient health care capacity, on campus or within the local/state health care facilities.

• Local/state/federal mandates.


Safety MeasuresOur community has adopted and will abide by commonly recognized best practices for reducing COVID-19 transmission. They include:

Social distancing

Every person on the Stephens College campus will be expected to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other persons at all times.

On an individual level, each of us is responsible for avoiding physical contact and remaining at least 6 feet apart from others, including in hallways, stairwells, elevators, offices and common areas. If you have not been in close contact with another person, you do not need to quarantine even if that person tests positive for COVID-19. That means it is critically important that you take responsibility for not being in close contact with anyone on campus at any time.

On a group level, the College limits group activities to those in which participants can maintain social distance to avoid close contact. Campus meetings in which social distancing is not possible — including staff meetings, faculty meetings, committee meetings, administrative meetings and student group/club meetings — should continue to occur virtually.

On an institutional level, the College has reduced available seating to increase distance between chairs and closed community spaces (such as communal kitchens, residence hall lobby gathering areas, lounge areas, etc.) where social distancing is challenging, and sharing of common surfaces is more likely. Floors are marked to indicate traffic flow and appropriate distances in areas prone to gathering; chairs and tray tables are spaced in large spaces used for classrooms (LRW Ballroom, gymnasium). Plexiglass safety shields in public areas of offices are designed to help protect employees and students who greet the public.

Face coverings

Face coverings are one of the most effective ways to limit virus transmission. The City of Columbia is requiring face coverings in all public spaces (with a few exceptions for exercise, dining, etc.) At the current alert level (see page 8), employees are required to wear face coverings in any building or in outdoor spaces where social distancing is difficult or inconsistent. That includes:

• When you are inside of any campus building, including elevators, hallways, common spaces, bathrooms, foyers, lobbies and stairwells.

• When they are in their offices or workspaces during regular work hours. As winter arrives, we’re spending more time indoors with the windows closed. The College has made significant investments in air filtration systems, HVAC improvements and air purifiers, but one of the important steps we all can take to improve air flow within our buildings is to keep our workspace/office doors wide open at all times. It is permissible to work in your office or public workspace


without a face mask even when the door is open, so long as the distance between you and the doorway is at least 6 feet at all times. COVID etiquette requires that you pause at a doorway to ensure social distancing and to allow sufficient time for the person you’re visiting to “mask up.”

• When you are in any public/common spaces outdoors where social distancing is inconsistent or difficult to maintain (walking between classes, over the bridges, etc.).

Hand hygiene and face touching

The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and as frequently as possible throughout the day. If soap and water are unavailable, you can use hand sanitizer — which will be available at multiple stations throughout campus and in every public space — that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Please plan to have your own personal supply of hand sanitizer as well.

It’s a good idea to carry tissues with you so you can cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze, and then dispose of the tissue and wash your hands. If you don’t have tissues, sneeze or cough into the inside of your elbow.

Avoid touching your face.

Daily health screenings

You are required to check in to one of the College’s Health Screening Stations prior to reporting to your workplace. If you are unsure about where to check in, call the Security office for instructions.

The screening is a self-assessment. You are asked to review a CDC Symptoms Checklist and to confirm you are not experiencing any of those symptoms.

Temperature checks are conducted using touchless thermometers; individual temperatures are not recorded, but those with temperatures above 100.4°F or who answer yes to any of the questions on the Symptoms Checklist are required to leave campus and to follow all quarantine and/or isolation protocols.

The College does not record or save any health-related data. The process is designed to identify those who may have contracted COVID-19 and may be unaware of it during a period of time when they would be contagious.

All employees, students and visitors are required to wear a lanyard with an ID plastic sleeve when they are on campus. Those IDs are scanned and a daily report is provided to the Office of Student Development or to the appropriate supervisor. Failure to comply with the health screening requirement constitutes a violation of the College’s employment policies, and a violation of the Student Conduct Code.


Campus Access

Stephens College is located at the center of the city of Columbia, two blocks from the downtown business district and surrounded by the University of Missouri’s campus, Greek community, and private and public student housing. The campus’ intersecting sidewalks and pedestrian bridges serve as a convenient thoroughfare for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as a safe pathway to downtown for a population of disabled adults living on Walnut Street. While it does not experience the traffic common to an urban or much larger campus, it would be impractical for the College to attempt to create a closed campus environment. It can, however, take clear and consistent steps to monitor external stakeholders who enter campus buildings.

The College prohibits students and employees from hosting social visitors/guests on campus. External events (such as weddings or meetings) scheduled and supported by SC Events must follow all county and city restrictions and requirements for health and safety; spaces associated with those events must be sanitized thoroughly prior to any other campus use. The Admissions Office manages its campus visits of prospective students and families in accordance with the college’s safety protocols. Vendors and deliveries must check in to the Office of Safety and Security for a Health Screening.

Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of another person for more than 15 minutes. As we work to keep our community safe, we all need to ensure that we maintain social distance at all times. Any employee concerned about a campus workplace environment in which social distancing is difficult or unsupported should contact Human Resources.


Dining Services• Stamper Dining Hall has been reconfigured to eliminate all cafeteria-style food service stations.

All food is prepared for take-out or (limited) delivery and individually packaged in disposable containers.

• The Dining Hall will be restricted to students only.

• Employees may choose to access the daily menu on the Eatable app and order food online for pick-up or delivery.

• The dining hall area has been expanded to include the current Student Union, with tables and chairs placed to ensure social distancing. Students can also take their food back to their residence halls or to whatever appropriate dining space they choose.

• All dining services staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times.

• All dining services staff have been trained and are required to follow CDC protocols on infection prevention, including physical distancing, hand washing, avoiding touching the face, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and health screenings prior to every shift.


Cleaning and SanitizingPublic Buildings

• All public spaces will be cleaned daily, with high-touch surfaces cleaned multiple times daily.

• Elevator surfaces and buttons will be cleaned multiple times daily.

• Public bathrooms will be cleaned twice daily.

• The College has cleaned and replaced HVAC filters and purchased air purifiers and fans to improve air circulation as needed.

Classrooms

• Classrooms will be cleaned daily, including all flat surfaces, equipment, technology and high-touch items such as doorknobs.

• Caddies with cleaning supplies and disposable gloves will be available in every classroom. Faculty will be asked to wipe high-touch and flat surfaces in their front-of-classroom teaching workspace upon entering every day.

Outdoor Areas

• Group size limitations will be applied to gatherings in outdoor seating and gathering areas.

• Outdoor benches and tables are sanitized daily.

• The College has installed hand-sanitizing stations in multiple locations on campus.

• The College ensures that all third-party vendors agree to the College’s physical distancing guidelines for all outdoor and other relevant areas.


AcademicsAcademic Calendar The College has adjusted the fall academic calendar to reduce the likelihood that students and employees who travel over holidays will return to campus and need to quarantine.

• Classes began on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

• There was no fall break this year.

• Students are free to depart campus on Friday, Nov. 20, prior to Thanksgiving Break; final exams will be completed online the first week in December. The residence halls will close on December 5.

• Winter Commencement will occur on Friday, Nov. 20. Students will receive their diplomas by mail after final exams.

• The Spring Semester 2021 schedule is as follows:

• All classes will be held online the first week of the semester (beginning Jan. 11) in order to ensure 14 days between New Year’s Eve celebrations and the beginning of in-seat classes

• In-seat classes will begin on Jan. 19.

• The College will not hold a traditional week-long spring break to avoid students vacationing in high-risk environments and returning to campus. Instead, the College will distribute the same number of break days throughout the spring semester, as follows:

• Break Dates:

• Feb. 18, 19• Mar. 26• Apr. 2, 5

• Apr. 30 is the last day of classes for the spring semester.

• Final exams will be held on May 3-6.

• Graduate students’ Commencement will be held May 7.

• Undergraduate Commencement will be held May 8.

Class Formats

All classes are being delivered simultaneously in-seat and through live streaming/Interactive Virtual Learning (IVL) to ensure that students who cannot attend class due to illness or distance can continue to complete their coursework uninterrupted. All course materials are being posted to Canvas to ensure easy access at all times.

Students are asked to make a decision about their learning environment/platform to help faculty track attendance and class participation, but they are encouraged to study remotely if they have health or other concerns. Faculty have established attendance policies in each class, as usual, and students will be required to abide by them.

The College is working closely with students who choose to study remotely to ensure they have the information, support, materials and equipment they need for academic success.


Course Scheduling

The College is making use of all campus spaces — including the Kimball Ballroom of Lela Raney Wood Hall, Macklanburg Playhouse, and Silverthorne Arena— to ensure adequate social distancing in all classes.

The College has adjusted its academic schedule for both semesters this year (fall and spring) to provide as much flexibility as possible and to situate students within fixed groups associated with their majors/areas of study, in order to provide less intermingling of students and faculty outside of “stable groups.” Most major/discipline classes are meeting during extended blocks on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and most Gen Ed/Elective classes are meeting on Tuesday and Thursday.


Classroom Protocols • Face coverings are required in all public buildings and spaces, including all classrooms.

• Faculty may wear face shields in classes to provide easier access to students with hearing disabilities. The College provides face shields to faculty who request them.

• Some classrooms are equipped with plexiglass barriers where they are useful in separating the faculty member from the students if necessary.

• Wherever possible, classes are taught in spaces with separate entrances and exits. Those doors are clearly marked.

• Classes are delivered in the largest possible spaces to ensure maximum social distancing.

• In classrooms with movable seats, some chairs have been removed and the floors have been marked to indicate where existing chairs should be placed.

• In classrooms with fixed seats, seats are marked to indicate where students may sit to ensure social distancing. Those markers are checked and replaced every day as needed.

• In classrooms or the auditorium, with rows of seats, students have been instructed to move as far into the row as possible before sitting down to ensure other students don’t have to move past them to get to their seats.

Other Student Support Services

Employees may conduct meetings virtually when necessary or in larger rooms outside their office spaces to ensure social distancing.

Students are being directed not to attend class or leave their rooms if they do not feel well. Instructors and work-study supervisors are being flexible on attendance policies to the extent possible.

The Student Success Center is working virtually with students to provide tutoring and other support services.

The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) has been relocated to the Visitors Center. It is providing services and support to students virtually.

The Equity Offices (Title IX; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); and the Office of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator) continues to provide services and support to students virtually. In those instances when in-person interactions are deemed necessary, all participants follow all campus safety protocols. The Title IX and DEI offices have been relocated to the Office of Student Development in Stamper Commons.


Monitoring and Tracking COVID-19 Daily Symptom Monitoring

All employees are required to check in to one of Health Screening Stations prior to reporting to the workplace to review a Symptoms Checklist and have their temperature taken.

The College does not record or save any of this information. The process is designed to identify those who may have contracted COVID-19 and may be unaware of it during a period of time when they would be contagious.

If your temperature is over 100.4°F or if you answer yes to any of the questions on the Symptoms Checklist, you will be asked to return immediately to your home, to refrain from interacting with others, to self-monitor your symptoms, and to contact your health care provider.

Testing If you are advised to be tested for COVID-19 and you have health insurance, your insurance company will be billed for the test. If you do not have insurance, please speak with the Office of Human Resources about options for free testing: [email protected] or (573) 876-7172.

If you test positive: If you test positive for COVID-19, you will be required to remain in isolation for a minimum of 10 days, but you will need to have had 3 days with no fever. That means, for some people, the isolation period may last longer than 10 days.

If someone with whom you have interacted tests positive: The CDC and the Boone County Department of Public Health agree that it is not necessary to quarantine unless you have been in close contact with that person. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes. Since there is no situation in which you should be in close contact with another individual while on campus, the need for employees to quarantine can be reasonably expected to be limited and infrequent.


CDC: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html


Contact Tracing

The College is managing all on-campus contact tracing for members of our campus community who test positive for the virus. (Student requirements are described in the Student Handbook.)

FOR EMPLOYEES: If you test positive for COVID-19, you are required to contact the Office of Human Resources within four hours of receiving the positive result. stephens.edu/covid/employees/ The Director of Human Resources, Michael Bates, will work with you to identify anybody on campus with whom you have had close contact; he will reach out to inform them that they must quarantine. Additionally, your medical care provider will inform the Department of Public Health, and an investigator will reach out to you to help identify all of the people with whom you have had close contact off campus. (PLEASE NOTE: As of November 15, the Public Health Department is unable to meet the demand for contact tracing, and there is a 12-day gap between a positive test report and the beginning of contact tracing for that individual. The College encourages anyone who tests positive for the virus to contact any off-campus person with whom they have had close contact and urge that person to quarantine.)

As already noted, this does not include everybody with whom you may have interacted or who may have been in the same room at some point with you. It is only those with whom you have been within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes who are considered to be close contacts. That means that a colleague could test positive for COVID-19, and if you have been following the College’s protocols and policies, you are not likely to be contacted to quarantine because you have not been in close contact with that person.

Individuals who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 are expected to quarantine for 14 days. They will be required to provide the Department of Human Resources with documentation from the public health department or a physician that they have been directed to quarantine or remain in isolation; employees cannot self-select to remain out of work or to use sick leave without such documentation. Employees who must remain at home for COVID-19 related reasons may be eligible for the Sick Bank or Emergency Paid Sick Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Please see Human Resources for more information.

http://stephens.edu/covid/employees/


TeleworkBarring a change in our operating Alert Level and the reclosing of our community (see pages 7-8), we expect that our employees will continue to work from campus, as usual.

Employees whose underlying health conditions are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act may be eligible for reasonable accommodations under its COVID-19 criteria. Sady Mayer Strand, our ADA Coordinator, would be happy to meet with any employee who seeks more information about those provisions of the law.

Before you return to campus:

Training. All new employees are required to complete an online training session to ensure they are fully informed about the College’s policies, protocols and expectations for ensuring campus health and safety.

A Community Pledge. When they checked in for their first Health Screening, all employees should have been asked to sign an acknowledgment that they know what’s expected of them as a member of our Stephens College community, and that they will abide by the protocols designed to keep our campus safe and healthy. If you have not signed the community pledge, please contact HR to do so.

Things to consider before your arrival:

The College cleans all public workspaces on a daily basis and hand sanitizer is available in multiple locations around campus. While employees are responsible for their own masks, the College does have replacements as well as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes; contact the President’s office for those supplies.


Appendix A

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RELATED TO COVID-19 (subject to change as conditions evolve) July 15, 2020

For more guidance, also visit:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html

Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services: health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/prevention.php

Columbia/Boone County Public Health: como.gov/coronavirus/ How can I help our Stephens community stay safe?• Maintain at least 6 feet of separation at all times (social distancing).

• Wear a face covering when you are in any campus building, or when it is difficult to reliably and consistently maintain 6 feet distance from others at all times outdoors.

• Check in at a Health Screening Station every day to review a COVID-19 Symptoms Checklist and have your temperature taken.

• Maintain consistent hand hygiene.

• Contribute to a clean campus environment by cleaning shared surfaces in your own and shared workspaces.

Will employees be tested for COVID-19? Stephens has no plans to test employees for COVID-19. If you believe you have symptoms of the virus, you should contact your health care provider.

Will I be able to meet with my staff or colleagues in person as a group once we’re back on campus? The College is discouraging in-person meetings this fall. If you must meet in person, all persons must remain at least 6 feet apart at all times.

Will break rooms be open? Break rooms will remain open for food storage and preparation only. There should be no social gathering or eating in any break room, and only one person should be in a break room at a time.

Can I use the elevator? Yes, but there will be a limit of two people in an elevator at a time.

What about conference rooms? We’re asking that meetings be held virtually whenever possible. If you must meet in person, social distancing and masks are required at all times.

What if an employee has a temperature of 100.4°F or higher, or other symptoms of COVID-19? Employees exhibiting any symptoms are asked to return to or remain at home, and to contact a health care provider for direction. If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, they must stay home and self-isolate until they have been cleared by a medical care provider to return to work.

http://cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html

http://cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html

http://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/prevention.php

http://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/prevention.php

http://como.gov/coronavirus/


Will an employee get paid during that time away from work? Through December 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may provide employees with up to two weeks of paid sick leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. Find more information at dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave and by contacting HR.

Can my employer legally ask me about if I have COVID-19 symptoms? Yes. Given the health risks to the community, employers can legally ask employees if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Can my employer legally take my temperature every day? Yes. Given the health risks to the community, employers can legally require employees to submit to a daily temperature check.

Can my employer legally require me to stay home from work if I have symptoms of COVID-19? Yes. Given the health risks to the community, employers can legally require employees to remain at home while they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been tested positive for the virus. Can my employer legally require me to have a doctor’s note saying I’m recovered from COVID-19 before I can return to work? Yes. Given the health risks to the community, employers can legally require employees to provide documentation that they have seen a health care provider who has determined they are safe to return to work.

Can I choose to stay home from work because I am afraid I will be exposed to someone with COVID-19? No. Fear of COVID-19 is not a qualified reason for staying home from work. Following the safety protocols at all times provides significant protection against contracting the virus, according to health care experts and the CDC.

I have been to a public event or store where an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Should I get tested? Should I quarantine? If you maintained social distance and did not spend 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of any employee in that environment, the Department of Public Health says you should closely monitor your symptoms (see the Symptoms Checklist) and your body temperature daily. If you begin to develop symptoms or your temperature is above 100.4°F, you should contact your health care provider and stay home. Is an employee entitled to an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in order to avoid exposing a family member who is at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to an underlying medical condition? No. The ADA does not require that an employer accommodate an employee without a disability based on the disability-related needs of a family member or other person with whom she/he is associated. For example, an employee without a disability is not entitled under the ADA to telework as an accommodation in order to protect a family member with a disability from potential COVID-19 exposure.

What if I believe I am entitled to an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act? Please contact Sady Mayer Strand, the College’s ADA Coordinator, for assistance.

http://dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave


Appendix B

SELF-MONITORING CHECKLIST (Online version of this checklist: hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-self-checker.html)

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you need to stay or return home, and contact Human Resources and your health care provider.

• Do you have a fever (temperature over 100.4°F) without having taken any fever reducing medications? Before you take your temperature:

• Wait 30 minutes after eating, drinking or exercising.

• Wait at least 6 hours after taking medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil) or aspirin, which can lower your temperature.

• Do you have a loss of smell or taste?

• Do you have a cough?

• Do you have muscle aches?

• Do you have a sore throat?

• Do you have shortness of breath?

• Do you have chills?

• Do you have a headache?

• Do you have diarrhea?

• Do you have nausea or vomiting?

http://hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-self-checker.html

Now is the time, if ever there was one, for us to care selflessly about one another.

—Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

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Stephens Plan for Fall 2020 | StaffJul 17, 2020 · cough/sneeze etiquette, frequent disinfection of common areas, symptom tracking and testing, ... higher education, businesses,